Maurice R. Johnson, 81

Longtime Kalispell resident Maurice R. Johnson, 81, passed away Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007, at his daughter's home in Boise, Idaho. Maurice was born June 17, 1925, in Redwood County, Minn., to Alfred H. and Esther (Hanson) Johnson. He was raised on his grandpa's farm and attended local schools, graduating from Belview High School.

He received his private pilot's license when he was 19 and enjoyed flying until he was 78. Maurice served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Judge Advocate General's office in occupied Japan.

In September 1948, he married Dayett Phinney. The family moved to a farm at Swan River where they raised sheep, chickens and wheat. The family later lived at Hungry Horse and Columbia Falls.

Maurice worked for the State Forestry and in 1954 was employed by the U.S. Forest Service in Bigfork. In 1960, he took a full-time position as dispatcher and office manager, for 10 years at Hungry Horse. He retired from the USFS in 1978 as fuel-management officer on the Spotted Bear District.

Dayett passed on in 1984, and in 1986 Maurice married Myrtle Johnson.

As an active community member, he was on the Swan River School board, vice president and president of the Community Hall at Swan River. He served with the Montana Search and Rescue, the Hungry Horse PTA, and was a member of the Montana Pilots Association and the Columbia Falls United Methodist Church, where he served on the committee to build the new church.

He chaperoned the Columbia Falls High School band to Europe and enjoyed square dancing, round dancing, and recently Saturday afternoon dances at the Eagles. He also enjoyed travel, restoring old cars, gold mining and writing letters to the editor.

Maurice was preceded in death by his two wives, Dayett and Myrtle; a brother, Myron; a sister, Lois; and a nephew, Ronald.

He is survived by his four children, Maureen Wiltrout and husband, Gary, of Boise, Idaho; Diane Hilmo and husband, Dusty, of Clinton; Connie Forbes and husband, Mark, of Helena; and Dayton Johnson and wife, Katherine, of Columbia Falls; a stepdaughter, Brenda Curtiss, and husband, Bob, of Kalispell; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; and a brother, Truman Johnson, and wife, Jung, of Eagan, Minn.

Memorial services for Maurice will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Johnson Mortuary chapel.

The family suggests that any memorial contributions be sent to the Kalispell Senior Center and Meals on Wheels, 160 Kelly Road, Kalispell, MT 59901. Both were valued for their help and friendship.

Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Maurice's family.