Gordon Allan Johnson

Gordon Allan Johnson, a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on Friday, December 27, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona. He was 81 years old. Born on July 28, 1943, in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of Axel Harry Elmer and Signe Elvera (Goldbrand) Johnson.

Gordon and his parents were charter members of Bethany Covenant Church in Lyndhurst, Ohio. Gordon was a man who endearingly loved his family and was generous with his time and talents with all whom he encountered. His acts of kindness, patience, and wit were gifts he naturally shared with everyone with whom he crossed paths. He was an authentic man with great integrity.

Gordon graduated from Charles F. Brush High School, 1961, in Lyndhurst, Ohio. Following his high school graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served until 1965. He was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana. In his position as Airman Basic E-1 he served in the Strategic Air Command and was a missile mechanic. He spoke proudly of his time in the U.S. Air Force and continued to live a life of true patriotism and love for the country he served. He enjoyed sharing the many amazing experiences and left those listening wanting to hear more. While stationed in Great Falls, Gordon met the love of his life, his future wife Laurie. They were happily married for nearly 60 years.

Following Gordon’s service in the United States Air Force, Gordon and Laurie were married and moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he took a position with Ohio Bell in 1966 (and started a family). In 1970, Gordon transferred to Phoenix, Arizona and took a position with Mountain Bell laying cable during the early growth of the Phoenix Valley. Gordon saw many technological changes in his time with the Bell System. Gordon retired after 36 years of service in 2002 from the telephone company, then known as Quest.

Gordon was elected to and served on the Peoria Unified School District Board of Education (1981-1988) and was elected as President in 1984 and 1987. In his position, he served with great intention to partner to make this, then small, West Valley school district one to be recognized as an outstanding and exemplary educational system excelling in academics, athletics, agriculture, industrial trades, and fine arts with state of the art facilities, high caliber educators, and quality student transportation. He took bus trips with the band, attended band and vocal music programs, theater productions, academic awards, and many athletic events. He personally drove in a caravan of newly purchased school buses from the east coast to Peoria to save the school district money on the transport costs. Gordon wanted all students to find opportunity in personal areas of interest and gain the academic assets for lifelong success. Former Peoria Unified School District Superintendent, Dr. Raymond S. Kellis, once introduced Gordon as a true statesman.

Gordon had a love for cars and trucks (most preferably Fords), a keen interest in older cars, and an appreciation for the eras in which they originated. His favorite was his 1960 Ford Falcon. Impressively, he could identify almost any car and year with a quick glance, even if it was old and abandoned in a farmer’s field. Gordon took great pride in his cars and enjoyed personally repairing, washing, waxing, and maintaining each one. Gordon shared his Papa’s garage, teaching, guiding, and mentoring his children and grandchildren. He always thought it was “too easy just to buy a new one”, a car that is.

Gordon was the grandson of an immigrant carpenter from Sweden and had an innate sense of grand curiosity for creating, building, and restoring. “Gordie”, as some would call him, took great pleasure in woodworking; building everything from cabinets and refinishing furniture, to creating bowls, vessels, and game pieces from the finest of woods to simple branches from a fallen tree. Gordon too, was a skilled carpenter so very capable of making beautiful and unique pieces and found joy in teaching the skills that were taught to him.

Gordon most enjoyed time spent with his beloved wife, children and grandchildren. Many fond adventures of driving vacations across the country were had, taking in history and the sights. If one was found sleeping during a road trip, Gordon would exclaim “wake up and look around, you’re going to miss something”. It was here that his children and grandchildren learned map reading and topography skills. True camping and fishing trips in the mountains from Arizona to Montana were always on the summer agenda, attending NASCAR races as available, and following Arizona Wildcat sports year-round.

Gordon and Laurie spent their early retirement years in their mountain dream home in Heber, Arizona before moving back to the Valley. They loved the beautiful mountains, cooler temperatures, and calm surroundings. They enjoyed fishing, morning walks, and the smell of pine trees. They planned family trips to Disneyland, Missouri, the Grand Canyon, and beaches in California. Throughout his retirement, he enjoyed following politics with his son Chris and listening to Rush Limbaugh while enjoying his morning coffee. He was with a heavy heart upon the loss of his morning coffee friend, Rush.

Gordon was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his devoted wife, Laurie, of the home; his children, daughter and son-in-law Inger Johnson Young and Bill Young of Chillicothe, Missouri, son Christopher A. Johnson of Glendale, Arizona; his beloved grandchildren, Johnson Young and wife Emily, Margarete “Margo” Young and fiance’ Chase Monte, William Gunnar Young, and Emmett Young.

Gordon will be forever remembered as a warm, generous, and kind-hearted man. He lived life with an unspoken philosophy similar to that of when closing up his campsite: always leave it a better place than you found it. Gordon has undoubtedly lived such a life.

A Celebration of Life for Gordon will be Friday, January 17, 2025 at 11 am at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, Arizona. Gordon will be interred at a private family service at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Gordon A. Johnson to The Wounded Warrior Project or Tunnel to Towers.