Stanley Johnson

Stanley Fred Johnson, beloved Son, Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, and Uncle, passed away peacefully at the University of Utah Hospital on Saturday, May 9, 2020.

He was 96 years old at the time of his passing.

Stan was born on April 15, 1924 to John Fredrick Johnson and Vera Fern Carter in Salt Lake City Utah.

He attended Lafayette Elementary School, Horstman Junior High School, and West High School.  He graduated, at the end of the 11th grade (barely 17 years old) in June of 1941.  He had great interest in electrical equipment, electrical theory, and machinery.  With his inquisitive fascination in all things electronic, in the Autumn of 1941, he enrolled in an Advanced Electrical Circuits class (again, at West High School, but now as a post-graduate student there).  Before he could finish his class's final exams, however, Pearl Harbor was bombed and America’s formal entry into WWII began.

His brother-in-law (H. Richard Shingleton) impressed upon Stan the need to get involved by further developing his electrical training and skill set, so as to serve his country and the cause of freedom. He informed Stan of a special training class, beginning right away, at Hill Air Force Base. Immediately, Stan dropped everything, enrolled, got trained, and became employed at Hill AFB as a Servo-Systems technician working for the military on B-17 airplanes.  This position allowed him to learn many intricate principles and details, which integrated the B-17's  guidance, control, and targeting systems, so as to safely function together (in perfect harmony and exactness), while yet in high altitude flight.  With this vital position in support of the warfighters, he was deferred from being drafted until he enlisted on April 12, 1944.  This position also served as excellent preparation for his later work on designing the guidance system of ICBMs and missiles like the AGM-12 Bullpup and the AGM-83 Bulldog.

Following basic training he went to Lowry Field, Denver Colorado for specialized training in bomb-site & auto-pilot repair, in which on several occasions he was able to take over flight control of the B-17s and B-24s to ensure that the gimbled servo system consistently gave to the bombardier the ability to properly align the plane to the target in preparation for bomb release.  Stan’s training and subsequent assignments lasted until he was honorably discharged from the Army-Air Force on May 15, 1946.

In August 1946 he started at the University of Utah in the Electrical Engineering program.  He used the GI Bill to pay for his schooling, graduating in August of 1950, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.  He was offered a College-teaching position in Wyoming and tentatively accepted that position, but he later relinquished the teaching position and accepted his preferred job in Washington DC as a Civil Servant working for the Navy.  His job involved missile guidance systems (including the use of Fluidics).

While in Washington DC, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1951.  As a relatively new member of the Restored Church, he met another recent convert to the Restored Church, Elena Victoria Perry-Poruţiu, and later married her on June 25, 1954 in the Salt Lake Temple.  They returned to Washington DC where they had their first child Linda and their second child John.

In the summer of 1960, Stan’s career path took him across the country to California to work for the Air Force at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, along with a TDY assignment at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, and with many trips to March Air Force Base near Riverside, California. Later he again worked for the Navy at Corona and China Lake Bases.  While there on the west coast, Stan and Elena had their third child David and adopted their fourth child Nandra.  Stan was employed with the military in California, until his retirement from Civil Service in March 1974.

Upon retirement from the Government, he returned to his home state of Utah and took up residence in Layton.  He continued to work in Private Industry, thereafter, including the following: Rockwell International as a Contractor at Hill AFB, Sperry-Univac, and Ballard Supply, after which he enjoyed retiring for a second time.  He permanently retired in April of 1989 and lived in Layton thereafter, until his passing.

He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints throughout his life, serving as a Stake Missionary, Seventy, Ward and Stake Clerk, Sunday School President (several times), Gospel Doctrine Teacher, High-Priest Group Instructor, High-Priest Group Leader, Temple-Ordinance Worker, faithful Home Teacher, and, most importantly, faithful Father teaching his family at home.

He enjoyed watching sports of all types (especially baseball, basketball, football, golf), but loved both watching and playing tennis, which he called the “chess of sports”, and playing miniature golf.  He also loved playing UNO, as well as vacationing, wood-working, designing and building various projects, and spending time with his family in any other way possible.

Stan was preceded in death by his Father John, his Mother Vera, his Sisters Clara, Charlotte, Evelyn, Beth, his Wife Elena, and his Daughter Nandra.  He is survived by his Daughter Linda, his Son John (Jennifer), and his Son David (Jacqie).  He’s also survived by 12 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

A viewing for family, close friends, and Ward Members will be held at 1410 E. Gentile St. Layton Utah, (Oakhills Chapel) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 from 10:00-11:00 am.  Individuals desiring to come to the viewing may attend under the following conditions:

DO NOT come if you have any symptoms of sickness related to COVID-19 or otherwise, such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, chills, body aches, etc.
Attend together as family units or individually, while maintaining 6-feet separation from others.
Highly recommended to use personal protective equipment, such as a face-mask.  Gloves and Hand Sanitizer will be provided for your protection and safety.

Graveside funeral service will be held at Memorial Redwood Mortuary and Cemetery (6500 S. Redwood Road, Taylorsville Utah) on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.  Interment at Memorial Redwood Cemetery.