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.
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