Ronald Johnson

Funeral Service:

Saturday November 21,2015

2:00pm

Five Oaks Shared Ministry

Naicam, Saskatchewan

Ronald (Ron) Johnson was born in Naicam, Saskatchewan on July 20, 1928, to Oscar and Lydia Johnson. He was the second of six children.

He graduated from the School of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan in 1949. Ron spent his life working as a farmer in Naicam. In his younger years he spent the winters off the farm employed in various endeavors such as stock and insurance brokerage, road building etc. During one winter he met a young nurse, Donna Getty and they married on July 26th, 1958.

Ron farmed with his brother Wilbur well into his seventies. He grew pedigreed and select seed for over ten years and was always anxious to explore new crops like canary seed and field peas. His passion for farming extended to his participation as a member of the Canadian Seed Growers Association for over 25 years, Director of the Canola Growers Association, Chairman of the local board of the United Grain Growers and Director of the Canadian Grain Standards Commission. He donated time and equipment to the Canadian Food Grains Bank.

Ron was very community minded. He was a charter and lifetime member of the Naicam Lions clubs holding positions as president, zone chairman and deputy district governor. During the 70s he was instrumental in developing Lake Charron Park and spent many hours on his bulldozer building the road across the lake to the island and clearing land for ball diamonds and camping spaces. He served on the Naicam Town Council for eight years and actively participated in projects and committees such as the building of the new skating rink. He was an active member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church for over 50 years.

In his spare time Ron loved hunting and fishing. He also took great joy in flying his plane and introduced many young neighbors and family members to the joys of flying. He flew for the Department of Natural Resources where he and the game warden would spot and buzz poachers on snow mobiles - poachers with guns!

He and Donna spent over 30 winters in the southern states enjoying time away from the snow and cold. First in their 5th wheel and in later years they bought a place in the Palm Springs area where he enjoyed golfing, playing shuffleboard, walking and his daily swim.

Ron always enjoyed travel and hosted many cruises with his family including Alaska, the Panama Canal, the Baltic and Nordic countries, Hawaii and the Mexican Riviera.

In 2010 they sold the farm and moved into Luther Heights in Saskatoon. In the fall of 2012 Ron was transferred to Sherbrooke Community Center in Saskatoon due to health problems, where he resided until his death.

Ron is survived by his wife Donna of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; daughters Deb Johnson (Al Love) of Raleigh, NC and Patty (Bruce) Brehon of Calgary, AB and their daughters Kassandra and Kayla. His surviving siblings are Evelyn (Len) Striemer of Kelowna, BC; Lloyd Johnson of Palm Desert, CA; Grace Johnson of Palm Desert, CA; Wilbur (Jean) Johnson of Airdrie, AB; Dennis Johnson of Victoria, BC and four nephews and a niece. He was pre-deceased by his Father Oscar Johnson in 1976, his mother Lydia Johnson in 1996 and his niece Carolyn Johnson in 1990.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Canadian Food Grains Bank.