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With profound sadness we report the loss of another classmate -- Mike Johnson. He passed away in Santa Cruz on Friday
From Judy Haccou:
Mike Johnson left his earthly body on June 9th, 2023, at 67 years old, in Santa Cruz, California. Born on Halloween of 1955 to devoted parents Dean and Lorraine Johnson. Mike was a long, lean, and lanky kid raised in Palo Alto. He was a classic northern California guy whose straw blonde hair matched the foothills where he loved riding cars, motorcycles, skateboards, and the occasional unicycle. He was a natural on skis, whether on snow or on a lake. He was also an avid angler, sharing good times and multitudes of freshly caught fish with friends and family. Mike and his siblings, Mitch and Judy, learned to sew early on from their grandmothers, and all became talented creators stitch by stitch. Mike began working in the auto upholstery industry as a teenager, and it became a 40-year trimming career. Mentored by Sid Chavers, Mike worked alongside his brother Mitch for many years and ended his career by developing the upholstery department at Canepa in Scotts Valley. He was considered the best of the best in trimming, a fine craftsman whose hands held so much knowledge and the respect of those throughout the industry. His artful touch left his mark on some of the world's most beautiful and collectible cars and most of the Porsche 959 in it. Mike was humble about his skills and proud of his work. Mike worked very hard at his craft because he always worked for and with the people he loved. In his 20's he married Tara Johnson, with whom he had two tow-headdaughters. He enjoyed a brief second marriage much later in life with an old friend, Amy Davis. As a Father to Lauren and Katie, Mike practiced the proverb about 'teaching a man a fish', by exemplifying how to make and do for oneself. This pedagogy produced two incredibly strong-willed, skilled, and self-reliant women. Of all the things he made in his life, there is no doubt that it was his daughters in which he took the most pride. With his girls, he was a delightful goofball, blasting the Grateful Dead, cracking jokes, and being a prankster. He took them camping often, drove through the most enormous puddles in town for thrills, and made the most epic Halloween costumes with just upholstery foam and spray paint. He built them bikes, skateboards, and matching first cars from junkyard finds. He showed them cool hidden spots around Palo Alto to discover: often behind fences, over hills, and grown over. He taught his girls to drive stick, forage, and fish, and love freshly caught food. Oh, and to brush their hair before they leave the house… "at least!". Mike had a sweet solitary soul and preferred the company of a stray cat or an aging blue jay to a gathering of people. However, he was quietly brought to tears by a small retirement party thrown for him in 2022. He was committed to finding treatment to eliminate the cancer they found in his lung. However, his body, which had worked so hard, was, like many a car seat he replaced, simply worn out. Mike was preceded in death by his brother, best friend, and lifelong co-conspirator Mitch Johnson. His surviving family deeply misses him: His parents, Dean and Lorraine, his sister Judy and his Daughters, Lauren, and Katie. His daughters look forward to Mike's gentle spirit guiding and protecting their children from beyond as they grow their families. A gathering to celebrate Mike's life will occur in the fall. To offer condolences to Mike's family and be added to the guest list, please use this website: bit.ly/MIKEJOHNSON In lieu of flowers the family asks that you eat well, prioritize your health and hug your loved ones. Post script: Mike is a grandfather of two adorable girls.
This is a Contact Us submission for Palo Alto High School Class Of 1973. Only selected Administrators receive these.
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David Jones
Michael, I was heart broken to be informed by your sister you had passed last week. We crossed paths many times in 1980s, 1990s. Past 20yrs have been a bit "estranged". But we were still friends. We were 1971-73 classmates and neighbors. We wrestled 1971-73 seasons and gymnastics 1971-73 together as well. Coach Hart made the wrestlers go out for gymnastics, kept our arms strong he said LOL. We both had huge half page pictures in the Paly year book. 1972 you and 1973 me. Each of us during gymnastics season preforming a individual event. Probably worst pictures ever displayed in a Palo Alto High year book. LOL! We laughed about those pictures together for almost 50 years. You are the 5th of 14 on the 1972 varsity wrestling team to pass, along with Coach Fisher. This is so sad for my Paly sports memory banks.You also take with you stories only you and I knew and could laugh about. We learned to skateboard slalom style, flat land skate. AKA surf the concrete wave Spring-Summer 1973. We took up tennis same time frame 1973. Both sports I did skateboard until 2017-ish and still play a very bad game of tennis today (once a week). All those times are attributed to you because skateboard and tennis were your ideas for us LOL...We spent many summer days together as well 1971-73. Then I went off to Foothill College, Cal Berkeley, and you became a semi renouned Car/Truck/Boat Upholstery expert for over 40+ years. Working on incredibly stylish cars/trucks/boats, along side your brother Mitch 75' (RIP). You did the upholstery for my 1978 MGB and 1954 Chevy Truck. Vintage OG to perfection it was. Your mom ran the back office 30yrs at Mitch's Palo Alto shop until his passing 2020. I told your sister Judy, I have so many stories of you/me now gone to share. You and I laughed about many of those stories (sadly) at Mitch's Memorial. I told Judy when I putter in my car around Palo Alto, I still remember several homes you all lived in as I pass them, along with places only you and I went to. SUCH AS you ask :-) :-) Madero Creek next to Greer Park on the frontage road of HWY 101/Colorado Ave. I worked at the Junior Museum 1971-72, and we would ride our 10 speed bikes there to catch frogs for the Jr Museum snakes. I would get in water, stumble around the cat-tail plants and in the muddy muck chasing frogs. You would sit on the concrete sides laughing at me in the wonderful Palo Alto summer sun. I am guessing we did this 25 times over those 2 years LOL....
HEY MIKE, am back after posting couple hours ago.I just remembered another fun story. You realize we have very few, sky-diving (you did) water ski (we did couple times) snow ski, "tall tale man-lee" stories together LOL. But we have 100s of: "we were king of the nerds" stories. My 98yr old mother, just last week was telling me she was using the wood cutting board I gave her. I reminded her Sept 1971, you and I were in Paly woodshop class together. I had no idea what to do for my wood project. Heck I barely knew what white glue was for LOL. You were so intune with woodshop, the tools and various shop skillsets. You told me to make a wood butcher chopping block,"is easy Jones". Which I did. 20 inlaid pieces of wood, walnut, mahogany, and some species of a white wood. Layered together as attactive as I could. Scared to death as I used the 10ft high, floor based, vertical ban saw to cut it to size LOL. Took me over a month to make, and should have taken a week LOL...Gave to my mom for our/her Mid-Town Palo Alto house kitchen. Now 52 years later, 3 different home kitchens later, is still in a kitchen, her Monterey California kitchen!!! (Dad RIP) As silly as my stories are, they tell: you had a impact and contribution to my life that endures today. Oh, my bros and sister all know and have known for years that I inherit the wood cutting board. They can have the rest, and true dat..... :-------)
*** June 2024, Year after Michael almost to the day. my Mom passed, and is probably with Michael talking about me I am sure :---) The wonderful 51 year old cutting board mentioned above. Is proudly being used in my Palo Alto Midtown home. Lightly sanded off 50 years of Mom/Dad kitchen use LOL. Applied a light cover of vegetable type oil, and is beautiful. Thanks Mike 1973 Paly Woodship is alive and well.
David 1973
Lisa Stevenson (Wells)
Dave, what a wonderful tribute. ❤️
Brian Hunwick
Excellent commemoration Dave! Thank you for your sharing these memories.
William Shaw
Thanks for that, Dave. Beautifully said. I counted Mike as a friend during my Paly years, and I was a better person for knowing him. RIP Mike.
Gavin Tanner
Yep, Dave's comment blew me under the dust, and in initially seeing the post I kinda lost it for a day or two or so. Not part of the elementary schools on the northern side of town, came in with a small group to Jordan but remember Mike in woodshop as a compatriot in Hoskins' class. It hit me, and maybe Bill's secondary thoughts will help, so thanks for that.