December 21, 1931 – January 23, 2018
Carl Edward Johnson was delivered by midwife at his parent’s home in Alameda, CA on December 21, 1931, to the late Carl and Anna Johnson, immigrants from Sweden. Carl Sr. a seaman/fisherman in both Sweden and San Francisco, decided to move to the country to become a farmer, so he and Anna moved to San Martin, where they raised their only son Carl and his sister Betty Jane on 16 acres, growing grapes.
Carl attended local schools and graduated from Live Oak High School in 1949. In his senior year, Carl served as class Treasurer, and participated in the senior play – never afraid to be the center of attention! Carl enjoyed the fact that all three of his children also attended Live Oak, even sharing teacher John Soares. Carl valued his friends and formed many friendships in grade school that continued throughout his life.
A hard worker all his life, Carl worked at Southern Pacific in San Francisco, Be-Ge Manufacturing, and Bank of America, before finding his niche as an insurance agent with Cal-Farm Insurance. It was while working at Be-Ge that Carl met his future wife Bette, when he and his cousin Harry went into the local Woolworth and asked Bette to wrap a canary in a cage for him. While typical of Carl and Harry’s exploits, it made an impression on Bette who became his wife on March 21, 1953.
Carl and Bette spent most of their life in Morgan Hill and moved the family to Edmundson Avenue where Carl could work outside, ride his tractor and enjoy country life once again with his family and later his beloved dog Charlie. Carl also enjoyed fishing and he and his sons took annual fishing trips up north, a tradition that his father-in-law Tom Mangano began in 1980 and continued until 2014, after Carl caught his trophy fish!
Carl believed in getting involved and giving back. He belonged to the Morgan Hill Choraleer’s singing group early on, the Morgan Hill Historical Society, SIRS, and Morgan Hill Fish and Game, where he was a lifetime member, and served as the annual BBQ Chair for many years. A task that he grumbled every year was too much work but loved every minute working with “his guys”, as he called them. He also served on the Morgan Hill Planning Commission for several years.
With his work at Cal-Farm, Carl was able to travel extensively with his family, creating many wonderful memories. He enjoyed what he did, and he did it well. Carl shared that other than the births of his children, he felt his greatest achievement was being named the Cal-Farm Agent of the Year. His clients became his friends, staying in touch with many of them long after his retirement after over 40 years with the company.
In 2014 Carl and Bette moved to Los Osos to be closer to their kids and to do some additional traveling. Shortly after moving Bette was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, but despite her valiant two year battle, Carl lost his partner of 65 years this past Christmas Day. During this time Carl had suffered health issues of his own, breaking a hip in June of 2016, from which he never fully recovered. Bedridden since June of 2017, Carl continued to maintain a role in his children and grandchildren’s lives, but after the loss of Bette his will to continue seemed to slip away, and Carl went to be with his lifelong partner on January 23, 2018, so they can now celebrate their 65th Anniversary together on March 21, 2018.
Carl was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Laverne Johnson and Betty Jane Frankenstein, as well as his dog Charlie.
He is survived by sons Rick (Amy) and David, daughter Karin Van Lith (Jeff); grandchildren Astyn Wielkie (John), Rylee, Hannah and Luke Johnson, Jason, Chris and Eric (Jessica) Van Lith; great grandchildren Chloe and Jaxon Wielkie, Kayla, Ben and Oren Van Lith, as well as nieces, nephews, cousins and an extended family of friends.
There will be no services or memorial at this time, and Carl’s remains will be cremated.
Carl loved and enjoyed life, and everyone loved and enjoyed Carl. He always found the best in people and felt that they all meant well.
You were a treasure Dad and will live on in our hearts forever. Here’s to you Dad, “First of the Day – Skol”
