Chelsea Johnson

Chelsea Scott Johnson, 90 of Bremerton, Washington died on March 2, 2007 at Ashley Gardens in Bremerton. He was born April 22, 1916 in Halfway, Oregon to Walter Scott & Hattie Belle (Kinsey) Johnson. He graduated from Haines High School in Haines, Oregon in 1937 and married Lorraine Powell on June 6, 1948 in Salem, Oregon. Chelsea worked as a Journeyman Union Carpenter for 35 years in Oregon, retiring in 1983. He worked on the Rock Island Dam in Wenatchee in 1951 and the McNary Dam near Umatilla in 1952. He later moved to Salem where he did finish carpentry work for many new churches and schools around Salem until his retirement. He served in the U.S. Navy from September 1939 to October 1945 earning the rank of Chief Boatswain's Mate. He was stationed in the Pacific Theater on the USS Cuyama, USS Northhampton, USS Barnes, and the USS Tulagi. He was serving aboard the USS Northhampton during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Chelsea had many interests and hobbies throughout his life. He became a photographer in the 1930's and took many photos all his life. He was an avid outdoorsman and fisherman, and fly-fished in many of Oregon's mountain streams. He also built a wooden boat in 1956 which he used for salmon steelhead fishing until his last few years. He loved and read about history, especially Pacific Northwest and World War II history. A woodworker, he built his own home in 1992, doing all the wood finish work inside himself. In his large woodworking shop, he built furniture, created many treasures on his wood lathe and built apple boxes to hold the apples from his apple orchard. He was an active member of the Orchard Society for many years and his small orchard contained many interesting apple varieties. A believer in natural foods and healthy lifestyle, he always grew a vegetable garden and raised honey bees, although his roses and dahlias were also given much attention. After retiring, he traveled throughout much of the western United States visiting the national parks, seeing the sites, and taking photos. Surviving are his daughters Myra Linn Gates and Floyce Audrey Midence; brother Orrin Kinsey Johnson; sisters Zona Belle Williams, Fern Marie Glenn, and Donna Mae Arnold; grandchildren Shane Johnson, Starr Abel, and Alycia Midence; great-grandson Joel Tujillo-Marker; and special friend Doris Cipra, age 97 of Vancouver, Washington. Memorial service at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, 2007 at Rill's Life Tribute Center in Port Orchard. Inurnment will be at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington.