Obituary of Harry LeRoy Johnson

Harry “LeRoy” Johnson of Post Falls, Idaho was called to heaven on Saturday, May 1 at the age of 84. Born December 6, 1936 to Harry and Gena (Melting) Johnson, LeRoy was the youngest of 10 children. LeRoy was a stand-out athlete growing up in Shelby, Montana where he met and married his high school sweetheart, Carol May Klingler, in 1955. That same year, LeRoy led the Shelby High School basketball team to win the state title. LeRoy was a small business owner, starting two plumbing businesses in Western Washington. Carol and LeRoy had six children – Mark, Scott, Steve, Tim, Ron and LaRay – and raised them in Washington state. In addition to being a devoted father and husband, LeRoy found joy in coaching youth football in Edmonds, where his teams won so many games, he went by one name -- “Coach.” LeRoy was a rabid Husky football fan and was one of the 1976 inaugural season ticket holders of the Seattle Seahawks. The Johnson family still cheers on the Seahawks today from LeRoy’s seats. For many years, LeRoy and Carol bred and owned racehorses at their homestead in Arlington. One of their horses, Miz-O-Ray, was a winner at Longacres. Most of all, LeRoy loved his 52 grandchildren and great grandchildren, along with eight great-great-grandchildren. Even in his later years, he would often drive several hours, sometimes days, to see his grandkids play sports at all levels, from little league to NCAA Division I. LeRoy was always up for a passionate discussion about politics or sports – and he was never wrong once. He was as full of life as he was opinions. His big personality was matched only by the size of his kind heart. LeRoy was the kind of larger-than-life legend whose reputation both preceded him and came up short in describing the indomitable spitfire of a man he really was. “LeRoy from Lynnwood” will live forever in our hearts and in our handed down stories like the sagas of old Norse kings. He was preceded in death by his parents Harry and Gena Johnson; his siblings Walter, Lenore, Ray, Ralph, Edith, Gene, Frank and Wilfred. He is survived by his wife, Carol Johnson of Post Falls, Idaho; brother Wesley Johnson of Spokane; sons Mark Johnson of Fort Mojave, Ariz. Scott Johnson of Nev., Steve (Connie) Johnson of Edgewood, B.C., Canada; Tim (Linda) Johnson of Post Falls, ID; Ron (Deanna) Johnson of Las Vegas, and LaRay Opel of Union, Wash. LeRoy will be interred in Shelby, MT later this year.