Harry Rudolph Johnson, Jr.

On Wednesday, March 25, 2020, Harry Rudolph Johnson, Jr., loving husband and father of six children, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, passed away at the age of 91 at home surrounded by his family.

Harry was born on June 22, 1928, in Salinas, Calif., to Harry R. Johnson, Sr. and Jane Johnson. His parents were first generation Swedish and French immigrants, respectively. He grew up on Harry, Sr. and Jane's family farm at the corner of Old Stage Road and Chualar Canyon Road, originally a part of his grandparents Chualar Canyon ranch.

Harry attended Chualar Elementary School, followed by Salinas Union High School. In his senior year, he met the love of his life, Joan Petersen. He attended Heald Engineering College in San Francisco and graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering on June 3, 1949. The day after graduation, he and Joan were married and moved to Salinas, where they began their family.

He started Valley TV & Appliance Center later that year, which he owned and operated into the 1970s. Starting in the 1980s, he purchased, renovated, and rented or sold properties throughout the Salinas Valley. After living in Salinas, he and his family returned to Chualar Canyon in 1963, where he remained, surrounded by family and friends, for the next 57 years. Harry and Joan celebrated their 70th anniversary in 2019.

He is survived by his wife Joan; his five children, Kathleen Johnson (Denna Patton), Placerville, Calif., Michael Johnson, Portland, Ore., Diane L. Johnson (Angel C. Stephan), South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Daniel (Diane) Johnson, King City, Calif., their children, Brian (Luli) Johnson, Sterling, Va., Kristen (Nate) Gelos, their children, Zachary and Zane, Paso Robles, Calif., and Theodore Johnson (Meg), their daughter, Hannah, Mountain Center, Calif.

He is also survived by his brothers, Robert Johnson and Richard Andre, and many cousins, nieces, and a nephew. Harry was preceded in death by his father and mother, Harry and Jane; his youngest child, Paul Eric; and great-nephew, Kevin Yost.

Harry was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church and El Camino Real Episcopal Diocese treasurer from 1982-1987. He belonged to the following organizations: Rotary Club of Gonzales, for which he served as president from 1981-1983; Salinas Elks Lodge; Salinas Optimist Club; Chualar Elementary School trustee; Gonzales Union High School District trustee from 1977-1981; American Field Service president and California 4-H leader.

Harry had a lifelong passion for travel. He and Joan gathered up all the children in their 1958 Edsel station wagon for camping outings to Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park, the Seattle World's Fair, Grand Teton National Park, and Disneyland. Starting out tent camping, he soon upgraded to a small 2-wheeled trailer, then a 5th wheel trailer, and finally he and Joan bought a motorhome in which they spent many memorable years traveling around the United States.

When the kids were grown, the two organized a six-week adventure throughout Europe in a rented Westfalia camper van, visiting their roots in France, Switzerland, Sweden, and Denmark. While attending a Rotary International convention in South America, a highlight of the trip was meeting Mother Teresa and famous Brazilian soccer player, Pele. In later years, they traveled with their children on a cruise to Santa Catalina Island and Ensenada, another cruise to Alaska, and joined a tour group to revisit Europe.

His children remember their father as being an extremely gifted person with an uncanny ability to apply a practical solution to solve a variety of situations. He is also remembered as a tireless volunteer, who gave his time and talents to his family and friends, and anyone in need.

Though Harry's passing was not due to COVID-19 virus, it affected the family's wishes to arrange a funeral for his extended family and friends. His funeral, attended only by his immediate family, was Monday, March 30, 2020, at Struve & LaPorte Funeral Chapel in Salinas, Calif. Interment followed at Garden of Memories Cemetery in the John August Johnson family plot. The family plans to have a Celebration of Life for Harry at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the CSU Monterey Bay Jane Pere Johnson Scholarship honoring his mother. Please visit: https://donate.csumb.edu/givingsearch (keyword: Pere).

Funeral Arrangements by Struve and Laporte Funeral Home

Published in Gonzales Tribune · April 8, 2020