Cleatus “Clete” E. Johnson, 101, of Stevensville passed away peacefully at his home on September 17, 2023.
Clete was born on August 21, 1922, in Yakima, Washington, to Charles and Anna Johnson. Early in his childhood the family, including siblings Charles, Gordon, Gerald, Parmalee, and Donelda, moved to Montana where Clete attended Lone Rock Grade School and Stevensville High School. He separated from his family and moved in with the Ned F. Wood family as a foster child. There with foster brothers and sisters William, Floyd, Gordon, Mildred, and Edith, he learned about farming and livestock which would become his life’s passion. Following his high school graduation Clete enlisted in the Marine Corps. He was stationed in Hawaii where he served as a blacksmith for a Marine Corps horse mounted security detail following the Pearl Harbor bombing.
After his military service Clete returned to Montana. He married the love of his life, Beryl A. Miller, and he began his work career and started a family. During his work career he lived at various locations in the Bitterroot and Missoula areas and had several jobs including a sawyer with the Harper Logging Company, an officer in the International Woodworkers of America Union, and finally a heavy equipment operator with the Missoula County Road Department. He and Beryl expanded their family with the birth of a daughter Paula and a son Gary. Later family additions included a grandson Todd and great-granddaughter Kayla.
After Clete’s retirement he rekindled his lifelong passion for farming when he and wife Beryl purchased a small farm near Stevensville. There they raised hay and Hereford cattle on their Johnson Family Farm. During this time, he taught his grandson Todd how to be a farmer. After about 45 hard working farming years and medical issues beginning to take a toll, he turned his farming operations over to grandson Todd. He continued to watch and enjoy cattle and irrigation sprinkler operations on his farm. The farming life and his wife and family fulfilled his life-long dreams.
Clete is survived in his immediate family by his wife, Beryl, a daughter, Paula Johnson, and son, Gary (Sally) Johnson, grandson Todd (Monica) Johnson, and great-granddaughter Kayla (Jarvis) Ashley.
The family has decided there will be no funeral services in accordance with Clete’s wishes. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.