Ray Franklin Johnson

Ray F. Johnson, beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at home in Edmonds on May 18, 2016. He was 89. Ray was born in Duluth, Minnesota on December 9, 1926, to Augusta and Frank Johnson, immigrants from Sweden. He grew up in a Swedish American community, the fifth of six children. In the summer of 1941 Rays family moved to Bremerton. Eager to serve his country during WW II, he enlisted on his 17th birthday and began Navy flight school. He was a V-5 aviation cadet and was one of the few able to complete the rigorous training. Ray later entered the Navy Reserve.Ray continued his studies at the University of Washington, and joined Tau Phi Delta forestry fraternity. Ray met his dear wife Carmen who was a nursing student at UW, and soon they were engaged. He earned his bachelors degree from the College of Forestry in 1949, and then Ray and Carmen were married in her hometown of Napa, California. After their honeymoon they drove north up the ALCAN Highway, newly opened to the public, to Anchorage. Ray was employed by the Alaska Road Commission to build roads and bridges-- often under challenging conditions. Finding a place to live was also a challenge. They first lived in a cabin in Wasilla, on Lake Lucille, then they moved into an apartment in Palmer.In 1952 Ray was recruited to join Scott Paper Company in Everett, and he became chief logging engineer in the Everett Woodlands division, responsible for roads, logging plans and logging camp engineering. Ray was later promoted to Northwest Woodlands Manager of Logging Operations with responsibility for all logging, construction and engineering departments.In 1954 Ray and Carmen chose Edmonds as a place to raise their family. Ray spent nights and weekends building their home on Bowdoin Way overlooking Puget Sound with views from the ferry dock to the Olympics. They entertained friends and neighbors, school and youth groups, and always had room for an assortment of dogs, cats, horses, chickens and other animals.After retiring from Scott Paper, Ray worked for the City of Edmonds and the Port of Edmonds. He was project engineer for the citys wastewater treatment plant. After a 1996 storm caused $15 million in damage to the port, Ray was asked to help, serving as the construction inspector during reconstruction.Two trips to Sweden with his younger brother, David, gave him great pleasure. He met many Swedish family members and visited the birthplaces of his mother and father.Since childhood Ray loved being outdoors. He was at home in the woods, the mountains and the sea. He skied, fished and hunted, camped, hiked, boated, dug clams, and planted trees. Ray could build anything: houses, fences, furniture and shelters for animals.He was a great reader, and he astonished people by his knowledge and prodigious memory for facts, history, and all the colo details of the people in his life. Ray was one of lifes treasures. He was intelligent, patriotic, hard working, curious, dedicated, honest, funny, a great storyteller, conscientious, loving and beloved. He will be dearly missed.Ray was preceded in death by his wife, Carmen, and his brothers and sisters. He is survived by his children, Janette Johnson (Reza Abbaschian) of Riverside, CA, Kristiana Johnson of Edmonds, and Curtis Johnson (Terry Taylor) of Bellevue; his grandchildren Lara Abbaschian, Cyrus Abbaschian(Gwen), Erik Johnson, and Sarah Johnson; and three great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and extended family in Sweden. The family thanks the University of Washington Medical Center for their professional and compassionate care. Donations in Rays honor may be sent to the Regional Heart Center, UW Medicine, Box 358045, Seattle, WA 98195-0008.