Warner Allen Johnson

Warner Allen Johnson

June 22, 1911-June 20, 2009

Born in Eau Claire, Wis., to Ernie

Johnson and the former Dora

Buchholtz, Warner moved to California

as a young man, following the death of

his brother, Clare. In 1944, he married

Amy Norse, who passed away on June

12, eight days before he did. Through

the years, Warner had two stints with

Douglas Aircraft, sold grain in the Los

Angeles area, owned a bowling alley

for a short time, and co-owned the Balboa (Calif.) Bakery

with Amy for 20 years. Bakery customers will remember

his Squaw Bread, a staple at the Chart House and Ancient

Mariner restaurants for years. After moving to Aloha, Ore.,

in 1995, he came upon a donut shop that used the same

mixes as he’d used at the bakery, and he and Amy became

good friends of the shop’s owners, the Kim family. They

always looked forward to their donut shop visits. Cherished

memories of Warner include his love of Las Vegas, his piano

playing (particularly excerpts of “Rhapsody in Blue”), and his

great admiration for pianist Peter Nero — even at the risk of

losing a customer. He loved to tell the story of a woman who

came into the bakery one day “just gushing about Liberace.”

Warner listened politely, and when the woman was done

talking, he remarked, “It’s too bad Liberace can’t play the

piano.” Warner was a life-long Green Bay Packers fan, a fine

softball player and dancer in his younger days, and loved

watching reruns of “Gunsmoke.” He faded quickly after

Amy’s passing, as multiple health challenges conspired to

render treatment useless. Still, 97 years and 363 days — not

bad. He is survived by two sons, Terry of Sherwood (Ore.),

and Robert of Chicago, and a sister, Beverly Kilde of Eleva,

Wis.