Charles Johnson

CHARLES KENNETH "CHUCK" JOHNSON

Charles Kenneth Johnson was born at 417 East King Street, Winona, MN, on March 27, 1927, to Florence Ella Seebold, a beautician, and Elmer Edmund Johnson, a fifty-year railroad station agent. His beloved older sister was Beverly Johnson Lange.

Chuck lived in Winona, Lamberton, Meriden, and New Ulm, MN in his youth. His childhood was marked with the Great Depression, WWII rationing, his first beer at the age of 6, first swim at Latch Island, and horse-riding at Aunt Cosette’s academy. Along for the adventure was his favorite dog Rex. He attended St. Martin’s Elementary School in Winona, 1935-37 and graduated from New Ulm High School in 1945. His first car was a 1926 Willy’s Whippet.

He enlisted in the Navy during WWII, and attended Navy Electronics School. The GI bill allowed him to attend Mankato Teachers’ College from 1946-1950 where “all the girls were”.  He majored in Physics and enjoyed theater, playing Teddy in “Arsenic and Old Lace”. After graduation he traveled across the country selling vacuum cleaners until he made it to California, where he began a 30-year career as an engineer for Douglas Aircraft, swam daily in the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, and met Lee Kempher. They married in Las Vegas in 1953, and raised four daughters in California.  He moved with Douglas Aircraft and his family to England where he worked on missile projects during the Cold War. Upon returning to the U.S. he moved back to California until 1970 and then settled on a farm in Troy, MO, where he raised his four daughters.

He met his second wife, Carole Madland, in St. Louis at the School of Metaphysics and they married in Batchtown, IL, in 1981. They had four children and moved back to Winona, MN. “Chickens always come home to roost,” he would say. He was proud to send his children to Winona Area Catholic Schools.

He felt most at home during Minnesota winters, and loved his routine of plowing snow at Fair Oaks, followed by a jigger of peppermint schnapps in the hot tub. In his later years, he enjoyed his annual fishing trip with John and the Langes, his enormous garden, poker tournaments, Vikings games, and huge parties where the house almost burnt down on numerous occasions. He was known for using rainbow trout from his creek as currency.

Chuck was eccentric: a BIG dreamer, storyteller, joker, and believer in love and angels. The greatest joy in his life was his children, the best excuse to let his inner-child out. His Peter-pan spirit and laugh were infectious, but he had no shame in crying when he was overcome with joy. The way he looked at you with his clear blue-green eyes spoke to the depths of his new age spiritually.

Chuck died a peaceful death on August 9, 2016 in his 90th year of life. Preceding his death were his parents Elmer and Florence, daughter Diane, and sister Beverly. He is survived by his children Debra (Bill), Denise (Jeff), Dawn (Bill), Louis-David, Philip, Sarah and Kristen (Danny); his grandchildren Andrew (Lindsay), Katrina (Dustin), Patrick, Heidi, Wil, and Alexander; and his great-grandchild Olivia. Thanks to all his friends and family who helped enrich his life and his WSU nurses who helped him live life to the fullest until his last day. He requested no service, but to remember him, he would love it if you drank a cold glass of fresh WHOLE milk. From Chuck: “When I had my last medical checkup, the doctor said I had to give up beer, whiskey, wild wild women and bad jokes if I wanted to live to a ripe old age. Well, I told the doctor I would give up the bad jokes and that should get me part of the way there”.

Online condolences or memories may be left for Chuck’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com

Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.