Michael Johnson, Sr.

Michael William Johnson, Sr., age 82, died on July 30, 2020, at his residence in Arvada, Colorado after a long and brave fight with colon cancer.

He was born January 7, 1938 in Denver, Colorado to Katherine Abbott and James Conway, after which he was adopted by Michael and Gladys LaGuardia of Glendale, California.  Later, he took his step-father’s name, Johnson.

Mike attended school in Glendale and lived most of his life in the Southern California area.

He joined the US Army in 1962.  In 1963, he received a hardship discharge to become the guardian of his younger brother Bill upon the death of their mother.

In 1976, Mike married Georgia Hawley, and they celebrated 44 years of marriage in January.

Mike had a 20-year career as a bus driver with the Orange County Transit Authority in Orange County, California.  After retiring, Mike and Georgia became fulltime RVers.  They lived and traveled in their motorhome for 10 years, visiting most of the lower 48 states and 5 Canadian provinces.  They eventually settled in Arvada, Colorado.

He was a member of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks for 24 years, most of that time as a member of the Elks Lodge in Westminster, Colorado.

Mike was an avid reader and read extensively about railroads and the histories of the Civil War and World War II.   His interest in railroads extended beyond reading to constructing model train layouts in many of his homes.

Mike will be remembered as a big-hearted, compassionate man.  He went out of his way to help family, friends, and strangers, treating all with dignity and respect.   He had a good-natured sense of humor and loved to make people laugh.

Mike is preceded in death by his father and mother, Michael and Gladys LaGuardia; a brother, Paul Abbott; and his birth mother, Katherine Hershberger.

Mike is survived by his wife, Georgia and son Michael, Jr. of Arvada, Colorado; a brother, William (Marion) Burr, of Bloomington, Minnesota; a sister, Diana (Don) Diers, of Grand Junction, Colorado; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews, great- nieces and -nephews, and great-great-nieces and -nephews—many of whom considered him their grandpa and called him “Napa.”  Already, he is greatly missed.

Memorial Service for Mike will be held at Horan & McConaty, 7577 West 80th Avenue, Arvada, Colorado at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 14, 2020.  Because of Covid-19 restrictions, attendance will be limited to 100 attendees, masks will be required, and social distancing will be observed.

For guests unable to attend the service, Mike's celebration was live-streamed at the link below. Please copy/paste the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/106185851198368/videos/1391531401235766/

A Committal Service with military honors will be held at Fort Logan National Cemetery on Monday, September 14, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in Mike's memory to the Community Table in Arvada (food bank), the Alzheimer’s Association, or the American Cancer Society.

Please share memories of Mike and condolences with his family on the Tribute Wall above.