O. Arthur (Art) Johnson
January 11, 1922 - December 12, 2014
Obituary
O. Arthur Johnson, D.O.
O. Arthur (Art) Johnson died peacefully at home at the age of 92 on Friday December 12, 2014 in Federal Way, WA. He will always be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend.
He is survived by Dorothy, his loving wife of 67 years; sons Jerry, Tim (Tamme), Jeff (Denise Pirolo) and daughter Bickley (John) Barich; grandchildren Amy (Don) Rose, Miranda (Eric) Lucker, Dana (Rick) Adams, Kenyon Johnson, Jessica (Nick) Havens, Francesca Pirolo, and Cory Johnson; and great-grandchildren Kylie, Rowan and Reid.
Art was preceded in death by his brother Thomas G. Johnson and survived by his sister-in-law Sharon Johnson of Bloomington MN; nephews, David, Dan and Douglas; nieces Dori and Laura, and their families.
Art was born in Deer Creek MN on January 11, 1922 to Arthur F. and Edna L. (Moll) Johnson. After his father’s death in 1933, the family moved to Cloquet MN, where he graduated from Cloquet HS Class of 1939, then to Calumet MN.
The Army drafted Art in 1942 and he was stationed at the University of UT as part of the Army Specialized Training Program before serving in Europe during WWII until his honorable discharge in 1946.
Art received his M.D. and D.O. licenses in 1949 from the Kansas City College of Osteopathy and Surgery. Dr. Johnson was in General Practice from 1951 when he opened his first office in Flint, MI until his retirement in 1989 when he closed his offices in West Seattle and Tacoma WA.
Art and his family moved from Michigan to the Seattle area in 1958, then in 1971 to a farmhouse outside of Enumclaw with property above the White River. Art and Dorothy spent many happy years on their country farm where their children and grandkids visited often. They moved into a house in Enumclaw in their later years before making their final move into an assisted living facility in Federal Way.
Art loved snow skiing, hunting, fishing, and field trialing his many Brittany spaniels. He was a member of the American Brittany Club for many years and won dual championships in field and show trials with his top dog Killey. He also owned several horses and was an experienced horseback rider. He loved riding at field trials and with his grandkids on the farm.
Art served as church elder for John Knox Presbyterian Church in Burien and for Calvary Presbyterian Church in Enumclaw for many years. He and Dorothy were vital members of the church community and developed many close friends from their fellowships there.
Committal with military honors will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent on Friday January 23 at 11:00 a.m. with a memorial service and reception following at 12:30 p.m. at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Enumclaw WA.
Remembrances may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org).
Our thoughts and prayers are with your family now and always. He was blessed with a wonderful family and amazing great grandson and what an amazing life he had with Dorothy for 67 years! That is a tribute in itself. May he rest in peace now.
A wonderful tribute to a wonderful man.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Paul & Diane
My sincerest condolences and warm regards to the entire family. A long-time friend of Bickley and John.,
Rest in Peace my dear Uncle Art.
It is with tears in my eyes that I recall all the loving kindness that you and Aunt Dorothy showed a poor little boy from the sticks of Minnesota.
It is with great sadness that I say goodbye but it is with joy in my heart that I know that there will come a time when we shall be united once again in a land where there is no sadness or sorrow. Until that time may God keep you safely in his arms.
Good bye for now Uncle Art.
I will always remember his laugh – and think of him every January 11th.
Our sincerest condolences to your family. I always thought a great deal of Art. We enjoyed our visit to the farm. Art will be missed by all of the people in his extended family.
Jeff, I am so sorry for your loss. I remember your Dad as being very nice. I lost my Dad two years ago…when you can, send me an email.
Just got back in town and saw the notice of your dad’s passing. I’m sorry I missed the service.
I remember fondly all the trips to the farm and riding horses down by the river with your dad. Special times.
Will pray for all of you and especially your mom.
Dr, Johnson was a lovely man and I remember him fairly well. He bought my father’s medical practice in Tacoma and sadly, due to my dad’s poor judgement, it had to go to court after my dad wanted it back. Nasty bit of business and regrettable. It hurt our family financially and my dad was hurt personally, going back to take his residency in Psychiatry a few years later. I wish I was able to ask him what happened, but he died in 2000, 14 years before Dr. Johnson.