Howard Bethel Johnson

Howard Bethel Johnson, 81, died peacefully in Wasilla on the morning of April 2. He was born Oct. 23, 1927 in Harrisburg, Ill., the first child of Freeman and Amanda Johnson. He grew up and attended schools in Pontiac, Mich.

He enlisted in the Merchant Marines and served in the last days of WWII. After the war he returned to Pontiac and worked as a test track mechanic for General Motors. In 1958 he came to Alaska and worked as an automobile mechanic in both Fairbanks and in Anchorage. He operated and worked for various service stations in Anchorage for a number of years. In 1974 Howard and Jim Clement opened Harbor Marine in Seward. Until the late ‘80s he was the Alaska dealer for several lines of boats including Chris Craft. He maintained a store at the small boat harbor in Seward during the summers and a sales office in Anchorage during the winters. He lived in Anchorage until 2005 when he made his home in Wasilla.

He is survived by his wife Grace, his brother and sister-in-law Charles and Laura Johnson of Thompsonville, Ill., his son and daughter-in-law Gary and Marcia Johnson of Greenville, S.C., his son Larry Johnson of Kodiak, his son and daughter-in-law Terry and Paulette Johnson of Eagle River, his daughter and son-in-law Kate and Glenn Kuper of Sumner, Wash., his son Mark Johnson of Wasilla, his grandchildren, Katie Anderson of Camden, S.C., David Johnson of Charleston, S.C., Jason Johnson, Sherry Johnson and Christy Johnson of Anchorage, Reagan Johnson of Wasilla, Kyle and Nora Kuper of Sumner, Wash., and great-grandchildren Whitney and Sally Elizabeth Anderson of Camden, S.C., and Jaidon Johnson of Anchorage.

A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. on April 18 at St. David’s Episcopal Church at Mile 2.2 of Wasilla Fishhook Road in Wasilla. All who knew Howard are invited to attend. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Resource Agency, P.O. Box 4406, Palmer, AK, 99645 or to Fellowship in Serving Humanity (FISH), P.O. Box 111443, Anchorage, AK, 99511.

Arrangements are being handled by Valley Funeral Home - Wasilla.