Leon Milton Johnson

Leon Milton Johnson left this world and returned to his Heavenly Father on December 31, 2024. He was 93 years old and died from cellulitis. Leon was born July 5, 1931. His mother said he was her firecracker baby. But anyone who knew Leon knew him as a gentle, loving soul.

Leon grew up on a farm in Riverton. Leon and his brothers took care of the farm and milked the cows so that his father could work at the smelter, since the farm didn't completely support their large family. “Leon said he hated those silly cows because he could never do anything, he always had to be back to milk the cows.”

In 1950 Leon met the love of his life, Karen Peterson. They were on a double date but with different people. But soon they began dating because they were meant to be. She became his high school sweetheart.

In 1951 right after Leon graduated from High School the Korean War broke out and Leon and some of his high school friends decided to enlist in the Navy rather than be drafted into the Army. Leon went to the Great Lakes Illinois Naval Training Center for his boot camp. He was supposed to be shipped out to Guam. At the time Leon said he didn't even know where Guam was. After training his orders were changed and he was shipped out to Barber’s Point Naval Air Station at Pearl Harbor in Oahu Hawaii, which he was very pleased about.

After Karen graduated from high school she traveled to Hawaii and on October 26th, 1951 They were married in the Hawaiian Temple. They were alone there. They lived in a one room apartment with a hot plate and small fridge, the bathroom and shower were down the hall, which they shared with all the tenants on that floor. But even though their apartment was small, and their family was back in Utah they were happy. Soon Karen became pregnant and on January 28th, 1953, their first daughter was born they named her Cindy LaRaine, Leon named her. Leon served in the Navy for 2 ½ years in Hawaii then moved to National City, a suburb of San Diego, California and served for another year and a half. When he was released, they returned home to Utah. After returning home 3 more children were born. A son, Blaine Leon and then 2 more daughters, Kara Lee and Jeri Lyn.

Leon attended Stevens-Henager College, graduating with an associate’s degree in accounting. Some of the jobs Leon worked were at Cudahy Meat Packing Company in North Salt Lake, and Lang Company before he joined the Navy. After the Navy, when he returned to Utah and was attending Stevens-Henager he worked part-time at Southeast Furniture, then after he graduated he was hired on at First Federal Savings. But soon he was offered a position at First Security Bank. They sent him to Dayton Ohio for training. And he became a programmer and then a programming analyst. His daughters remember using his analyst ruler with all its strange shapes to draw pictures with during sacrament meeting.

After he retired from First Security Bank he started his own accounting business for a while but soon decided to apply for another job. He was hired by Zions First National Bank as an auditor.

Leon had several physical issues as an adult. Constant pain and Restless Leg Syndrome were part of his everyday life and a lot of nights he would be up walking the floors. Even through all of this he always worked to support his family and made sure to spend time with them on vacations and holidays. Leon was still very active. He belonged to First Security bowling and golf leagues. When his shoulders started to bother him too much he had to quit.

Leon was a hunter and a great fisherman. All of his children and grandchildren remember fishing trips with him. He would take them each alone and it was a great time for each one of them to spend with dad or grandpa.

Leon always made sure his children felt special and treasured. Us girls remember dates with our dad and we always got a small heart filled with chocolates for Valentine's Day along with what he bought for his sweetheart. Leon was always tender and kind to Karen. Leon loved Christmas, if one holiday was his favorite, it was Christmas! He loved buying all of our Christmas presents and playing Santa. Be he especially loved buying Karen’s Christmas presents. He always tried to get her something she would like. One specific thing his kids remember was how he would always buy her something red to wear. He loved Karen in red! Leon was a true family man and he always treasured his family.

Leon was also very active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was usually a clerk in the ward or the stake because of his background and his ability to balance the books and keep track of the tithes. He also served as the first counselor in the bishopric.

Leon was preceded in death by his parents, Sophia Larsen and James Harold Johnson, by 4 brothers and 5 sisters and 2 brothers-in-law.

He is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Karen Johnson, his children, Cindy LaRaine Bond, Blaine Leon Johnson, Kara Lee Johnson, Jeri Lyn Ewell and by 10 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Leon was a very special man and he will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, January 9th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Goff Mortuary, 8090 S. State St., Midvale. Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 10th at 12:00 PM with a viewing one hour prior to services at the Greenwood Ward, 240 Greenwood Circle, Midvale. Interment to follow at Utah Veterans Memorial Park in Bluffdale.