Chesley Brent Johnson

Last night when Zak and I were about to fall asleep, Zak remembered that he still needed to go to the Church building he had volunteered to make sure was locked.  Already we were down to five and a half hours of sleep ahead, so it was a challenge, but Zak knew what he needed to do and got up to do it.  I'm very proud of him.  

My mom's dad, C. Brent Johnson, was also a very responsible man who wouldn't ever say much, he'd just do.  My dad added on to the driveway and added a shed-sized telescope observatory in my parents' backyard.  Grandpa J volunteered to help on both projects, so as a man in his sixties, he worked in the summer sun with Dad until the concrete was complete.  He was also pretty thrifty.  He used an old bicycle for added structural strength in some concrete he put in his own yard.  My mom realized also that he had a hard time parting with stuff that he could use in the future.

I've asked my Grandma Margaret Johnson about their first date, and she said, "It was the rodeo, of course."  Grandpa competed as a bareback rider among other things in the rodeo as a young adult.

C. Brent Johnson in the good old rodeo arena

Work

He also knew he needed to do well at work to take care of his growing family.  Grandpa was painfully shy and quiet around those he didn't know.  Grandma shared that they drove a girl home from an activity one day, and told Grandma later she was sorry she'd made Grandpa so upset, as he was so quiet.  That's just how was was.  At Hill Air Force Base he had to go out of his way to talk to people, even reading self-help books about how to succeed in business.  His job was one of those, I'd-tell-you-but-then-I'd-have-to-kill-you types of jobs, taking him to Saudi Arabia and other parts of the globe.  Apparently he helped with the camera systems in military airplanes, which could see details of people on the ground.

Brent and Margaret Johnson

Brenda and Alice 

1962

Family

On October 11, 1956, Brent married Margaret.  She teased him about the fact that in 1956, she as an 18-year-old woman was allowed to marry without her parents' written consent, but that he as a 20-year-old male still needed his parent's consent (until 21 years old).  They had four girls and two boys:  Brenda, Alice, Ronda, Scott, Larry, and Vicki.  Scott has Cerebral Palsy, and Grandpa would do just about anything for him.  Alice joked that if anybody else needed to use the bathroom on a car trip, they were told to hold it until the next stop.  If they told Scott to tell Grandpa, he would pull over immediately.  The family went camping often in some of Brent's favorite spots.

Brenda, Margaret, Brent, Scott, Alice

Larry, Vicki, and Ronda Johnson

Around 1977

He loved to wander in the yard with the dog, Jasper, even during family get-togethers.  He read quite a bit, especially western romances in his few retired years.  He would always call his grandkids his favorites and want to hold them.After not seeing a doctor for decades, Grandpa had a massive heart attack at the age of 67, passing away in Clinton, Utah on 11 May 2003 (Mother's Day).  I think we have a holiday death curse (Christmas, Father's Day, etc).

Grandpa J holding me (Nicole)

1986

Compared to that picture of him holding the cow, I look pretty small.  My Dad gave Grandpa's eulogy, as a collection of stories.  I'll try and find those.  Before he passed away, I didn't know that much about Grandpa because he was so quiet, but I knew I could always depend on him and get a big hug.

C. Brent Johnson 

5 February 1936-11 May 2003