Marvin A. Johnson

Marvin A. (Chirp) Johnson passed away on May 11 from complications relating to congestive heart failure. He was 89 years old. Private Interment with Military Honors will be held Friday at Eagle Point National Cemetery A Celebration of his life will be held Saturday, June 12th, 11:00 AM at First Christian Church in Grants Pass. He was born in Grants Pass on May 9, 1921 and remained a resident of the city his entire life. He graduated from Grants Pass High School in 1939. In 1941 he married Fern A. Olsen of Grants Pass. They had four children. Chirp served in the navy during World War ll as a gunner aboard the Liberty Ship SS. Otto Mears which operated primarily in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans. He was an outstanding athlete in high school lettering in football and baseball. He subsequently played with the Grants Pass Merchants baseball team. He remained interested and supportive of Grants Pass athletics and all sports in general. He spent most of his working life in the wood products industry with several mills in Grants Pass. He and his wife Fern were long time members of the First Christian Church. Chirp was a deacon and elder and enjoyed working with the youth and elderly as well from the church. Later in life Chirp took up golf and was a fine player. He especially enjoyed playing with several golfing buddies and was still out driving most of them practically until the end, much to the consternation of the younger members. Hunting deer was a favorite hobby as well. There were many legendary hunting trips with “the boys” to Yamsi for well over 50 years. Some of those stories are best left untold. Chirp came from a family of eleven surviving children and knew well hard work and how to provide for a family. We wanted for nothing. He was preceded in death by a son Timothy, and a grandson Kord. He is survived by his wife Fern, a son Barry of Cottage Grove, a son Jeff of Buxton, a daughter Kay of Tustin, Ca. nine grand children and two great grand children. We will miss the twinkle in your eye.