Merle Walter Johnson

Merle W. Johnson, 91, passed away on February 17, 2021 in Mesa, AZ after an extended illness and complications due to Covid-19. Merle was born in Brisbane, ND to William A. and Jean Johnson on September 13, 1929. He grew up in Chehalis, WA, graduating from Chehalis High School in 1947. After high school, Merle moved to Seattle to attend business college, where he earned his CPA certification. Shortly thereafter he was drafted into the Army and served two years in the Army’s Financial Corps during the Korean War. Following his military service, he went to work at Western Electric and worked there until his retirement in 1982. He was a life member of The Telephone Pioneers of America, and regularly attended Broadway Christian Church in Mesa, AZ. Merle was a dedicated family man and always made time for his kids, grandkids and great grandkids. He also had a passion for entertaining and traveling. It was always 5 o’clock somewhere. Merle’s hobbies and interests included collecting German beer steins and Italian glassware, and he was an avid reader—especially biographies and books about WWII. After his marriage to Barbara in 1976, Merle took an active interest in her button-collecting, and enjoyed attending conventions and meeting other collectors from around the country. Some of his more memorable travels included backpacking through Europe with his kids in 1974, touring England and Scotland in 1980, an extended road trip across the U.S. and Canada in 1982, tours of New Zealand and the South Pacific in 1985, and seeing western Europe in 1999. Merle’s final trip was in 2017, when his late daughter, Jan arranged and accompanied him on the “Honor Flight” to Washington DC. Merle is survived by his wife of 44 years, Barbara; his daughter Diane (Jim) Olsen and son William Johnson from Merle’s first marriage to Lorraine; stepdaughter Deborah (Jon) Stinson and stepson Bruce (Patti) O’Donnell; grandchildren Mark Olsen, David Olsen, Julie Olsen, Amanda Hoffman, Robbie Stinson, David O’Donnell, Jason O’Leary, Kathy O’Leary, John O’Leary; 8 great-grandchildren, and many relatives and great friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Darwin, his daughter Jan Olson, stepson Dale O’Leary, and two grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center or The Alzheimers Association.