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Wendell Dean Johnson

September 27, 1933–April 3, 2022

Dean, as he preferred to be called, passed away April 3, 2022 at Garfield County Memorial Hospital.

Dean was born to Carl and Myrtle Black Johnson in Pomeroy, Wash. on September 27, 1933.

Growing up he lived at the bottom of Casey Creek on the Snake River. He enjoyed swimming, fishing, and rowing a boat across the river to attend school at Almota when he was 11 and 12 years old. Later on, he attended school in Pomeroy where he played football, basketball and baseball. Dean excelled at football earning the Alumni Trophy and the Block & Tackle Trophy. He also sang the lead in several Operettas in High School.

Dean met Shirley E. Graham while she was spending the night with a friend from school. He was there playing tag football with the brothers of her friend. They were married on October 6, 1952 in Lewiston, Idaho at the home of Dean's Aunt and Uncle. He was attending WSU in Pullman at that time studying Geology. Dean and Shirley have four daughters, Marcia, Pam, Julie and Susan.

Returning back home on the Snake River he worked for his dad in the fruit orchard hauling and selling fruit and produce as far north as St. Maries, Idaho, eventually leaving the river and working for several local farmers. Dean went to work for Dye Seed Ranch in 1960 where he learned Agronomy and became the Field Representative. He retired 50 years later.

He had several hobbies and interests. He collected parts and pieces of old toy cars and trucks for rebuilding and gifting to neighbors and to the grandkids. He also restored old cook stoves for many people over the years. Since growing up on a fruit orchard and gardening farm, he loved raising produce and selling or giving it away. Dean took up stained glass for several years making lamps and Christmas ornaments and windows. He was an avid "rock hound" and along with John Dye, Johnny Armstrong, Harold Graham and several others, started Garfield County Rock Hounds.

Dean enjoyed traveling as long as he didn't have to fly. The family loved camping and traveled and camped extensively throughout the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada. As a member of Clan Graham Society, he and Shirley enjoyed attending Highland Games and hosting clan tents at many locations in the Northwest.

-Submitted photo

Dean Johnson

His other interests included researching and helping to write a book about Garfield County century farms. Dean was his wife's committee working on the Centennial Boulevard during the Washington State Centennial in 1986 to 1990.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Lewis, sister, Helen and a grandson, Nicholas Siglin.

Dean is survived by his wife, Shirley and his sister, Mila Watt. Also, his four daughters, Marcia (Tim) Baden, Pam (Ernie) Kimble, Julie (Gary)Long and Susan Sutliff, thirteen grandchildren and twenty-three great grandchildren.

A service will take place at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Garfield County Museum in care of Muriel Bott or to the United Methodist Church in Pomeroy.