Richard Arthur Johnson
December 6, 2015
Age 84, a long-time Edmonds-area resident, died peacefully on Dec. 6 after a devastating stroke two weeks prior.
Born at Swedish Hospital in Seattle to Arthur and Bertha Johnson, Rich grew up in Poulsbo. He graduated from North Kitsap High School in 1949, attended Olympic Junior College and received a B.A. in journalism from the University of Washington in 1953.
He served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged after serving in Bremerhaven, Germany as the editor of the Port Reporter newspaper. He joined The Seattle Times sports department in 1957 and worked there for 41 years as a copy editor and writer covering a variety of sports, including the 1980 and 1984 Winter Olympic Games.
He married Yvonne Johnson on Dec. 19, 1964, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Port Gamble, then moved to Edmonds. Rich and Yvonne spent 41 wonderful years together until her passing in 2005.
Rich’s passions included baseball, gardening, his children and grandchildren, his friends, and volunteering. A lover of dahlias, he spent many hours tending to his garden at his home in Edmonds and was always ready to share the garden’s abundance with his neighbors, friends and family. He will be remembered for his booming voice, his kindness and generosity, his story telling, and his constant energy and intensity. He was always on the move, always looking out for others and always brightening someone’s day. He was a member and long-time volunteer at the Nordic Heritage Museum in Ballard and a member of Poulsbo Lodge No. 44, Sons of Norway.
Rich is survived by his son Brent and daughter-in-law, Catherine, of Redmond; daughter Wendy and son-in-law, Tim Casper, of Everett; grandchildren Elizabeth, Paige, Grace, Caroline, Erik, Kristina and Anders, and sister Arlene Palmerton, of Bellevue; and four nieces and a nephew.
A celebration of Rich’s life was held for noon Dec. 19 at the Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 NW 67th St., Seattle. The family suggests remembrances to Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 NW 67th St., Seattle, WA 98117 or American Cancer Society, 2120 First Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109.
Please share memories at www.becksfuneralhome.com.
