Welcome to the celebration of life for my dad, Robert Arvid Johnson. My name is Jef, for those who don't know me. I will try to be just a few minutes in this introduction, as there are more people who wish to say something,
Today is the 100th anniversary of Bob's birth in Ironwood Michigan, The subject of an epic Longfellow poem was also born
....by the shore of Gitche Gumee,
by the shining big-sea water"
The "Song of Hiawatha", was based on a real person who also came from this area next to Lake Superior in the 16th century.
I would much rather be celebrating my dad's birthday with him today, as it was one of his goals to live to be 100. Unfortuneately, he passed away last April at the young age of 99 5/8.
Towards the end, it was a running joke with him to have more birthday celebrations in a year, as he knew his time was running out. For example, I missed congratulating him on his 99 3/7th and 99 1/2 birthdays this year.
We only have 1 birthday, and his was September 6, 1920. With this and 99 anniversaries of his birth, also called birthdays, he pointed out his last birthday on Sep. 6, 2019 was his 100th.
And yes, he didn't live 100 years after his birth, but if you consider he started at conception and spent 9 months in his mother's womb, he was around for about 100 3/8th years. I feel bad I didn't send him a 100th anniversary of his existence last December 6th.
Bob was born into a Lutheran community of mostly Swedish immigrants. His family, however, moved to Los Angeles when he was just 2, and altho he was confirmed at the Faith Lutheran Church in Los Angeles, he was brought up in an area with diverse cultures, and he did not follow thru with this church. He ultimately identified himself as agnostic.
Funereal rites of established cultures are not important for an agnostic. However, what is important in all cultures is how well a person does in this world. Life is like a test. At the end of the test you put your pencil down and await your grade. Bob must have known he did well on this 'test', and we, who knew him, are the 'teacher' to assign a grade(another might be a supreme diety, or a representitive such as St. Peter at the Gate). I put together a brief history of his life and provided a link for those who didn't know him that well to understand why I give him an A+.
My dad was a great guy. He was the type of person who became more positive the older he got. He was a guiding light for us kids and he always showed his love for us. We didn't always show our love for him, but we did.
To be brief, I will here just remember one aspect of his incredible and long life, and that is that he was a man of words. True, he was an amazing illustrator, but "a picture is worth a thousand words".
Bob read many times more books than any of us will ever read. Not only did he retain what he read, but he was a speed reader. Having so much knowledge allowed him to engage in conversations with most anybody on any subject.
Bob wrote a lot of words, as well. For example, he wrote much of the maintenance manual for what was the largest aircraft in the world in 1943, the XB-19. But I remember the many handwritten letters he wrote me - especially on his homemade holiday cards. He didn't just write one and copy it, but handwrote several detailed personalized letters each year to each of us.
He wrote many letters to his mom when he was in the Navy, and as with all his letters, he was very detailed in what he had to say.
His one-time co-worker was heard to say, "Ask Bob a question, and he will give you a dissertation".
But I vividly remember him reciting several poems to me on some nights as we otherwise silently read books in the quiet of the Landa Street living room.
One poem I heard him recite was "The Road Not Taken" published by another Robert, a Mr. Frost, in 1916, just 4 years before Bob was born. The gist of this poem explains much of his life, and how it appears so unique to the rest of us - as he often "took the road less travelled". Who else would be crazy enough to do some of the things he did????
Another poem he often quoted (Like for example, when he thought we were working too hard) that was also published in 1918, just 2 years before his birth, was Edna St. Vincent Millay's "My Candle burns at both ends; it will not last the night; but ah, my foes, and oh, my friends - it gives a lovely light".
Bob, it seems to me worked too hard, as his work ethic, was mostly "all work, no play" might be compared to this "burning the candle at both ends". Probably explains how he accomplished so much and gave off "such a lovely light".