Don Lee Johnson was born on June 3, 1933, in Grantsville, Utah. He passed away on Oct. 4, 2017, in Grantsville, Utah. He was the ninth of 10 children born to Charles Wallace Johnson and Phyllis Judd Johnson. His parents passed away when he was six years old. The seven youngest children left at home were raised by Della and Robert Lawrence along with their own five children.
Don Lee served a 2 1/2-year mission for the LDS Church to Paraguay in 1954 to 1956. He served in the U.S Army and was stationed in El Paso, Texas, from 1956 to 1958. After graduating from Brigham Young University, he went to California for his first teaching job. He spent 60 years in Oakland where he taught school for 32 years. During his summer school breaks he traveled the world with his good friend and business associate Steve Hazis.
After retiring from teaching, he was employed by the LDS Church as manager of the Oakland Temple Cafeteria. He enjoyed planning the menu, ordering, shopping and cooking the food. He served as a ward organist most of his life and served in several Bishoprics. He especially loved helping the full time missionaries. He loved his Father in Heaven and served Him with all his heart. He was a generous man who was always helping others.
In April 2016, Don moved back to Grantsville, Utah, as a resident at Diamond Jane’s Assisted Living Center. Many kind letters and cards were sent to him from his past friends and associates. He was loved by all who knew him, as he was kind and gentle, very gracious and always a gentleman. He spent his life taking care of others, always wanting to buy lunch, offering a tip, a ride, or anything that he could do to help others. All who knew him were a witness of his hospitality.
Don Lee is survived by his oldest brother Robert Marden Johnson of St. George, Utah; his youngest sister Sherry Johnson of Overton, Nevada; brother-in- law Roy Stapp of Bountiful, Utah; and many nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Della and Robert Lawrence, and seven siblings: McKay Johnson, Kenneth Johnson, Wallace Johnson, Vivian Marsden, Gwen Stapp, William B Johnson, and Beverly Perkins.
We are grateful to all those at Diamond Jane’s who loved him and took care of him. Special thanks to his nurse Michelle Bolinder and his assistant nurse, Margarita. To Harmony Home Health Care, thank you Jordan. A special thank you to Don’s sister, Becky Kimber, for her love, comfort, patience and care during his time in Grantsville.
Funeral services will be held at the Grantsville West Stake Center, 115 E. Cherry Street, Grantsville, Utah, on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017 at 12 noon. A viewing will be held prior to the services starting at 11 a.m. Interment will be at the Grantsville City Cemetery following the service.