Robert Johnson

Robert Lyle Johnson returned home to his Heavenly Father on Saturday, October 19, 2024, after a long battle with inclusion body myositis, a rare muscle disease that deteriorates the muscles in the body.

He was predeceased by his wife of 49 years, Shirlee Pierson Johnson, his son, Richard Wayne Johnson and Rick's wife, DeeDra, his father, his mother, his grandparents, brother and sister, a granddaughter, and many others who love him.

He was born on March 25, 1944, in Tremonton, Utah to Lyle F. Johnson and Helen Oyler Johnson. He was raised in East Garland, Utah until he was fourteen, when he and his family moved to Meridian, Idaho and then ultimately to Bountiful, Utah, where he graduated from Bountiful High. He obtained his B.S. at the University of Utah, and an M.B.A at Utah State. He disappointed many of his family members by always rooting for BYU, claiming that even though he never went there that was where most of his money went. He was the oldest of four children.

He married Shirlee Pierson on December 14, 1967. Shirlee passed away on December 19, 2016. To help with his grief over the death of his wife, Bob began doing multiple sessions a day at the Bountiful Utah Temple where he met a lovely woman named Judy Abbott Johnson, whom he married on August 4, 2018. They were able to enjoy 6 wonderful years together, taking trips to Alaska, Hawaii, St. George, and later with Judy lovingly caring for Dad as he struggled with his muscle disease that eventually led him to be bed-bound for the last year of his life.

Bob is survived by his wife, Judy, his children, Matthew (Suzanne) Johnson, Bradley (Elizabeth) Johnson, Jolene (Bill) Snyder, Nathan (Sunny) Johnson, his brother, Roger Brian Johnson, his step-children, Debbie (Bruce) Lee, Lori (Blaine) Murray, 27 grandchildren, and 31 great-grandchildren.

Dad was the most positive person you could ever meet. Even when he was bed-bound for a year, getting out of bed only three times with the help of his son for a visit around the yard and once to Eden, when asked how he was doing, he would always reply, "It is a good day today, I feel good". And even when he felt terrible, he would reply with, "I am a little upside down today, but I am getting better." He was full of gratitude, and was famous for saying, "Thank you, thank you, and thank you."

He loved to garden, and his yard was always immaculate. He loved all animals, and was never without chickens, homing pigeons, or buttonquail. More recently, he would lay in his bed and watch (and sometimes direct) Judy as she worked in the yard. He was the greatest husband, father, and grandfather that a person could ever hope for, and he was truly loved by his family, friends, associates, and all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Bob worked in the grocery business most of his life, working as the Director of Store Development at Associated Food Stores and later owning his own store in Rose Park called Bob's Stop & Save.

Bob was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and remained faithful throughout his life. He loved the temple and after Shirlee's passing, he did over 1000 endowment sessions, sometimes doing as many as 5 sessions per day.

Bob was a positive, kind, and wonderful person and did all that he could to help make the world a better place. He will be greatly missed. We love you, Dad, and will forever be grateful for the man you were.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Kaysville 20th Ward Chapel, located at 855 E. Mutton Hollow Drive, Kaysville, Utah. There will be a viewing at the Chapel from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Interment will be at the Bountiful City Cemetery. 

The family would like to express their thanks to all the loving and kind nurses who helped provide hospice care, and especially to his loving wife, Judy.