Carroll I. Johnson

Carroll I. Johnson of Brewster passed away on May 26, 2017, surrounded by his loving family. He was born October 26, 1925 in Brockton, MA to Adolph and Matilda Johnson of Sweden. After graduating from Brockton High School in 1943 he enlisted in the US Navy, serving with honor in the WWII Pacific Theatre on the USS Wichita as an aviation electronics technician. After his discharge he continued to serve in the Navy Reserves until 1951. With the aid of the GI Bill, he attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating in 1950 with a B.S. in General Engineering. He earned a Master of Science in Civil Engineering in 1958 from Northeastern University, where he was also on the teaching staff. After working as an engineer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and for Emerson & Cuming in Canton, MA, he had a long and fulfilling career at Friendly Ice Cream in Wilbraham, MA. In his capacity as Vice President of Design and Engineering, he oversaw the building of over 600 Friendly Ice Cream Restaurants throughout the country, while making lifelong friendships with his co-workers.

Carroll spent many happy years in semi-retirement at his beloved Cape Cod home on Long Pond. He was an avid pilot, serving as president of the Cape Area Pilots Association, and was a member of the Quiet Birdmen. Some of his best memories were of his Thursday morning Airmen’s Breakfasts at the Hearth & Kettle in Orleans, where jokes and war stories were shared in equal measure. He devoted countless volunteer hours to water quality efforts for the Cape Cod Commission’s Ponds and Lakes Stewards, as well as the Brewster Ponds Coalition. Many of the area’s storm drainage projects, boat ramp designs, tidal area walkways, and herring run channel projects were made possible by his gladly volunteered engineering expertise.

While he was a fanatical pilot and downhill skier, his greatest love was given to the family he leaves behind. He was predeceased by his brother Roy Johnson, and also suffered the loss of his first wife Polly (Skinner) and his dear grandson Kevin Johnson. The past 18 years have been filled with wonderful companionship and compassion by his wife Jane (Burroughs) of Brewster. He is sadly missed by the children he raised with a fierce commitment to their education and their personal integrity: Sue Johnson and husband Dave Andrews of Sudbury; Bruce Johnson and wife Nancy of Westborough; Linda Johnson of South Portland, Maine; Sally Johnson and husband Bill Foley of Moosehead Lake, Maine. His later years were graced with close relationships with his bonus children Sean Murphy and wife Traci Claywell of Beaufort, NC; and Curran Murphy and husband Troy Chickering of Framingham. He created fabulous memories of Gramp Camp and underage driving with his treasured grandchildren: Chris Andrews, Scott Andrews, Nick Andrews, Brian Johnson, Jennifer Johnson Stevens, Brandon Johnson, Jessica Osenton, James Osenton, Molly Foley, Nick Foley, Grace Chickering, and Sean Doyle Murphy. His great grandchildren who brought so much delight to his final years as Gramp the Great are Faye, Mila, Seth, Shane, Travis and Savannah.

Visiting hours will be held Thursday, June 1, 2017 from 5pm to 7pm at Doane, Beal & Ames Funeral Home, 729 Route 134, South Dennis, MA 02660. Memorial services will take place 11am Friday, June 2nd at the funeral home followed by a committal service with military honors at Brewster Lower Road Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Brewster Ponds Coalition, P.O. Box 459, Brewster, MA 02631, or to McCarthy Care Center, 73 Service Road, Sandwich, MA 02537 or online at hopehealthco.thankyou4caring.org/donatenow.