Thomas Anton 'Oscar' Johnson, 76

Thomas Anton “Oscar” Johnson, 76, passed away on Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, at the Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell.

He was born in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on May 28, 1934, to John Anton and Ella (Jarvis) Johnson.

Oscar received his early education at Bovill Grade School and graduated from Deary High School in Idaho in 1952. He was very active in school, narrating school plays, and playing basketball. He was also the statistician for both the basketball and baseball teams.

Oscar enjoyed hunting and fishing and was very involved in his son’s sports and sporting events.

Oscar was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and served two years between Fort Lewis in Washington and Fort Ord in California. He then attended the University of Idaho for one year.

He began work at Potlatch Forest, Inc., where he was a log scaler from 1957 to 1959. He then worked for Van Evans Lumber Company in Missoula from 1960 to 1980. This is where he met and married Dormalea Vezina in Missoula on May 20, 1961.

Oscar semi-retired in 2001 but worked part time until 2005, working for the Department of State Lands.

Oscar was also a member of the Gospel Light Baptist Church. He and Dormalea loved square dancing.

Oscar was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Ray Johnson; and a son-in-law, Orlan Erickson.

He is survived by his wife, Dormalea, of Kalispell; six children, Marlin and Beverly Siegford of Opelika, Ala.; Marlene and Rick Sampson of Missoula, Pauline and Wade Waugh of Grand Prairie, Alberta; Charlene Erickson and fiance Butch Huizinga of Helena, John Johnson and his wife Corinna of Abilene, Texas, and Patricia and Jonathan Van Kleeck of Milwaukee, Wis.; and sisters, May Johnson of Jupiter, Fla., Helen Hewitt of Yakima, Wash., and Eleanor Johnson of Renton, Wash.; as well as 14 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Oscar will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, in the Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow at the C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery with military honors by the United Veterans of the Flathead.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Oscar’s family.

You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and view Oscar’s tribute wall.