Stephen Armer Johnson 1950-2019

SEELEY LAKE - Stephen Armer Johnson, 68, passed away on March 25 at Fort Harrison VA Medical Center in Helena, Mont. surrounded by his loving family.

Stephen was born Sept. 13, 1950 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. to Charles Lebert and Voilet Lucille (Shockley) Johnson. He was the second of four children.

He was raised in southern Missouri and moved to Central Oregon for his grade school years. He returned to Missouri and graduated high school in Deepwater. He was accepted into West Point, but chose not to attend. He was drafted into the Army at age 18 and served in Vietnam as a military policeman. Upon returning from Vietnam, he met his wife LaVange Martin and they were married June 16, 1975 in Collins, Mo.

From that marriage, there were five children born: Amanda, Stephanie, Kayla, Stephen and Sally. They had been married 43 years when Stephen passed.

A year after they were married, they moved to Union, Ore. where he was a log truck driver. He had a great love of aviation. He received his pilot's license with his GI Bill and flew a Piper Archer II.

In 1981, the family moved to Alaska, where he continued his career as a long haul freight truck driver, driving from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay on the icy roads.

In 1988, he moved to Seeley Lake, Mont. where he drove log trucks until the end of his career.

He loved being outdoors, whether hunting, shooting, fishing or cutting firewood. He also enjoyed watching sports, especially baseball and the Chicago Cubs and the Saint Louis Cardinals. He was a collector of guns and coins. He also enjoyed spending time reloading ammunition. Stephen also loved animals, especially Labradors.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by: his wife LaVange; children Amanda (Steven) Stanley, Stephanie (Gavin) Alexander, Kayla Johnson, Stephen (Alejandra) Johnson, and Sally Johnson; grandchildren Haley, Rachel and Levi Stanley; grandchildren Courtney and Lauren Alexander; grandchildren Stephen, Lucille, and Ashley Johnson; brothers John Johnson and Buck Johnson; and sister Tammy Johnson.

Services have already taken place. Please visit http://www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Stephen.