Egon Victor Johnson

Egon Victor Johnson, age 96, passed away June 24, 2023.  He was born June 19, 1927, in Murray, Utah, to Edith and John Johnson, both Swedish immigrants. He was the fourth child of eight.  He valued his Swedish heritage and spoke Swedish fluently.

Egon grew up enjoying school, athletics, family, and church.  His father was an independent miner and Egon helped from a young age as the mining camp cook.  Egon also learned to use dynamite and helped transport ore.  When he was 14 years old his family moved to Mesa, Arizona, close to Florence, where his dad had staked a mining claim.  He also worked as a butcher at a grocery store and drove a gravel truck.

Egon was an immediate favorite with students and teachers alike.  He was handsome, warm, kind-hearted, intelligent, and energetic.  He excelled and achieved many awards at Mesa High School, including the Ishikawa Scholar Athlete Award, and Salutatorian.   After high school he entered the Navy to receive training as a Hospital Corpsman.  Then he attended college and worked on a farm harvesting cotton before serving a church mission to Sweden.

Egon was married to his sweetheart, Joan Davis, in the Mesa, Arizona temple in 1952. Together they were blessed with six children, who adore him.  In 1953 he entered the University of Southern California Medical School. He enlisted in the Army in his senior year, then completed training to become an orthopedic surgeon. He also trained to fulfill non-medical goals, including completing parachute jump training to earn his parachute wings.   He served a tour of duty in Vietnam, where he was one of two triage doctors in charge of surgeries at a large Army medical facility close to the front lines of battle.  It was similar to, but more advanced than, the MASH units employed in Korea.  In 1967 he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and received an honorable discharge from the Army after 13 years service.  He then began a private orthopedic surgery practice in Mesa, Arizona.  During that time, Egon served in Scouting and as president of the local Rotary Club.  He also served as Chief of Staff for two hospitals.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, Egon believed in the goodness of people, and that we are all children of God.  Egon served faithfully in his callings as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including bishop, high councilor, temple worker, and minister.  With Joan at his side, he was the Area Medical Advisor for missionaries in Argentina, Columbia, and surrounding countries, and in the North America Southwest Region.  Egon loved the scriptures, good literature, art, music, and old movies.  He enjoyed vacation time with his family and exploring foreign places.

His family expresses gratitude to Acoya Assisted Living for their wonderful care these past months, and to many loved ones who visited him.  He was married over 70 years to his eternal sweetheart, Joan Davis Johnson, who died just three months prior to his passing.

Egon is survived by a sister, Elizabeth Pew (Joe, deceased), and by his six children:  Michael E.Johnson (Wendy), E. Kristine Tanner (Sterling, deceased), Brent E. Johnson (Cheryl), Laura A. Crandall (Dennis), David L. Johnson (Tiffanie), Julie M. Chaffetz (Jason), as well as 26 grandchildren, and 43 greatgrandchildren.  Egon was preceded in death by six siblings:  Elise Barkett (Eddie, deceased), Ejvor Merkley (Leo, deceased), Eleanor Russell (Ralph, deceased), Kenneth Johnson (Jo-Anne, living), and two brothers who died in infancy, Carl and John Jr.

The funeral service will be held July 15, 2023 at the Las Sendas Ward Chapel, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7752 East McDowell Road, Mesa, Arizona  85207.  The viewing will begin at 9:00 am, followed by the funeral at 10:00 am.  Interment at the City of Mesa Cemetery will follow the funeral.

The funeral service may be viewed online at https://zoom.us/j/97800515134.

Arrangements by Bunker’s University Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.