Vernal Hyrum Johnson

OGDEN - Vernal H. Johnson,MD, born January 15, 1910 in Henefer, Utah passed away on July 5, 2010 in his Ogden home. He is the only child of Hannah Gertrude Stephens and Hyrum Johnson and is a descendant of courageous and noble pioneer ancestors. He honored their legacy throughout the one hundred years of his life. Since June of 2003, Vernal has dearly missed the companionship of his sweetheart Athleen Budge Johnson. They were married September 6, 1939 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.

Vernal was raised in Ogden but maintained strong ties to his grandparents in Henefer. It was on a pump organ in a grandmother''s home that he first began his musical education and was moved by what became a lasting, edifying influence of music. When just 8 years old, Vernal began training on the piano with Mona Smith and developed his talents quickly and expertly. He also studied the organ in Salt Lake with Edward Kimball, former Mormon Tabernacle organist, and practiced on the theatre organ in the Peery''s Egyptian Theater. As a teenager Vernal began serving as organist in his ward and continued doing so after returning from his 3-year German-Austrian mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Vernal felt that this mission was a marvelous place to serve, especially for someone with such a love of classical music and the famous composers who created their masterpieces in that locale. For nearly 50 years, he served as ward organist and throughout his life participated in various musical groups and ensembles. His and Athleen''s association in the Ogden Symphony and Ballet was an honored tradition they always enjoyed. Much of Vernal''s quiet, gentle, and kind nature may be attributed to the positive power of great and enduring music.

After attending Weber College, Vernal entered Medical School for two years at the University of Utah and completed his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. He then trained for his specialty in Obstetrics and Gynecology. His Ogden medical career lasted over four decades and spanned dramatic changes in medical care. Over the years, he served in leadership of the Weber-Morgan County Board of Health, Utah State OB-GYN Society, the Weber County and Utah State Medical Associations, as President of the Ogden Surgical Society, and as president of the medical staffs and chief of OB-GYN at both local hospitals. Dr. Johnson has been fondly remembered by many patients and fellow doctors during his 30 years of retirement.

During World War II, Vernal served in the U.S. Army Air Corp as an officer. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, he trained as a flight surgeon and joined the 406th Bomber Squadron in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. He later served in southern California as a Major with the first jet aircraft fighter group that the Army Air Corp was developing.

In addition to music, Vernal''s artistic abilities include photography, floral gardening (especially roses), lapidary work and design, and jewelry making. He has always been an avid sportsman, enjoying fishing and hunting, golfing, and skiing. In fact, he skied this year at Snow Basin on his 100th birthday and caught 15 trout at East Canyon just 6 weeks ago. Vernal and Athleen also enjoyed traveling all over the world with a group of close friends and with their family.

He has been the longest continuous member of the Exchange Club of Ogden and was happy serving in his beloved community. He has been a volunteer guide and docent at the Natural History and Mineral museum at the Union Station and Ogden Dinosaur Park for the past 25 years.

Their posterity includes four children: Val Budge (Suzan) Johnson, Steve Farr (Jayne) Johnson, Joyce (Rob) Stillwell (all of Ogden), and Dean Budge Johnson, Idaho Falls, Idaho. They also have 9 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. Vernal is also survived by a brother-in-law, Arthur (Marian) Budge, other extended family, and many good friends and neighbors.

The family would like to give special thanks to the staff of Legacy Hospice for their loving care and support during Vernal''s last week.

Funeral services will be held Monday, July 12, 2010 at 11 a.m. at the Ogden Highland Ward Chapel, 1314 27th Street.

Family will meet with friends on Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Lindquist''s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd.

Friends and family may also visit prior to the service at the Ward Chapel on Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Interment will be at the Ogden City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ogden Symphony and Ballet Association.