William Edgar Johnson

William Edgar Johnson, 73, died Feb. 8, 2005, at Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage.

A service was held Feb. 12, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Palmer.

Mr. Johnson was born Aug. 20, 1931, in Wellington, Utah.

He attended Stadium High School in Tacoma, Wash., then Olympic Junior College, and received a football scholarship to the University of Puget Sound.

Mr. Johnson began his Alaska residency in January 1964. He lived in Juneau from January 1964 until November 1966, when he moved to Anchorage. He left Alaska in 1974, returning in 1985 to Palmer and living there until his death.

He worked in Ketchikan on the fishing boats in his early years, moving on to the Washington State Highway Department as a computer programmer. He then began working for the Alaska Highway Department. After he received his surveyor's license in 1966, he started his company, Area Planners and became a co-owner of Smokey Joe's, in Anchorage, with a cannery in Whittier.

He continued Area Planners until he joined his brother forming Johnson & Johnson Construction in Wasilla. In 1990 he started his own company, Royal Construction, and worked there until he retired in 1997.

Mr. Johnson was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Palmer.

He was a leader in his local church congregation and served in many areas. He loved to fish, enjoyed reading, gardening and his profession. He was a longtime football fan, playing and watching.

He had a strong sense of mischief. His family wrote, "Always generous with his time and efforts, he continually helped those in need. He took pride in a job well done. And although he was a reserved man, he loved his family deeply."

He is survived by his wife, Hei Suk; sons, Dallen, Dane, and Darryl Johnson of Washington; daughters, Tammy Vogletanz and Teresa Howells of Washington, Tanya Johnson of California and Kristine O'Neill of Eagle River; mother, Elizabeth Johnson of Washington; five grandchildren in Washington and dogs, Tyler and Lucky.

His ashes will be scattered in the ocean this summer. Arrangements were made by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.