Obituary of Jan L. Johnson

Jan L. Johnson passed away on July 22, 2023, in Boise, ID. He was born Oct. 25, 1948 in Kirkland, WA to Paul and Peggy (McGuire) Johnson joining siblings, Julie, Jeanette, and Lyle. When his parents divorced, Peggy and the children moved to Mountain Home, ID living with Vern and Peggy Spidell. This is when Jan and Andy (Spidell) Fisher formed their forever best friend/sibling relationship. Jan had tales of riding the Greyhound bus to visit his dad, stepmom and half-sister, Jolynn in Kirkland.

 

When Jan was six, Peggy married, and they moved to CA. Returning to Mountain Home six years later, Jan attended Jr. and Sr. high schools, graduating in 1967. While in school, Jan made many friends and enjoyed seeing them at class reunions, especially the first 10-year Class reunion held in 2011. He was looking forward to this year’s 10-year reunion.  He began Boise College (now BSU) in the fall of 1967.

 

Jan met Susan Riddle the summer of 1966 and they began dating in Sept., marrying on June 13, 1970. In January 1971, he joined the Army attending boot camp at Fort Lewis, WA and Pershing Missile school at Fort Sill, Lawton, OK.  In April 1971, he was stationed to Germany where Susan joined him in May living in Heilbronn. Buying a car, they traveled around Europe making wonderful memories which were some of his most favored memories to share.  They returned to Boise in Oct 1972.

 

Jan and Susan divorced in June 1973. Jan moved to Reno, NV in early 1975. Starting at Harrah’s Club as a Craps dealer, which he loved, he quickly became a Floor Supervisor (Pit Boss) having that position for almost the entirety of his 34-year casino career. In the early 1980s, he moved to the Bahamas for 3 years working as a dealer while enjoying island life. Returning to Reno, he eventually was employed at Boomtown Casino as a Floor Supervisor for 23 years until retirement in 2010.

 

In Aug 2007, Jan and Susan reconnected after a 34-year break. Susan moved to Reno in March 2008. They remarried on Aug 23, 2010. They loved living in Verdi next to the Truckee River, working together at Boomtown, being with friends, and entertaining family who came to visit. When Jan retired, they moved back to Boise. Their second chance was cut short, but they thankfully had 16 years of renewing the love they had found when they were just kids.

 

Jan loved being Grandpa to Susan’s granddaughter Addi who was born in Aug. 2007 and to Molly’s stepchildren, Gregory and Tia.  Jan loved visiting Jeanette and family in CA and was happy when the family migrated to ID; nephew Rod and wife Leah were first, then Jeanette and Buster, and finally niece Tammy and husband Wayne. Their move gave him the opportunity for visits with great-nephew, Daniel. His brother-in-law Buster who passed away in 2020 was a good friend. He enjoyed traveling with Jeanette and Tammy to WA to visit Julie, niece Pennie, and family. When Lyle visited in Aug 2007, they had a good visit. Not having children of his own, Jan was the best Uncle to all his related and not related nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces.

 

Living in Reno for 36 years, Jan made countless friendships which he valued wholeheartedly. He especially loved his “Pinochle Club” made up of dear friends, Gary, Lorraine, and Dana. Jan loved baseball and went to many SF Giants games with friends. Joining friends on trips to Six-Flags, Jan was a hit with the kids as he was always available to ride. Jan was an avid tennis player in his younger years. After moving back to Idaho, Jan and Susan joined a wonderful group of friends for Happy Hour Fridays and Sunday Brunch enjoying the camaraderie of their get-togethers. He loved family holidays at his sister Jenny’s house, getting together for dinners with Susan’s sisters and their husbands, and 4^th of Julys at the Fishers. Jan loved Ron’s BBQ ribs and valued their friendship of 60 years.

 

Jan will be missed by all who loved and knew him to be a truly unpretentious, kind, and generous man who loved to laugh, loved his cats and feeding his squirrels, loved his team, loved In-N-Out, and loved to collect things and share those things he collected.  Jan was one of a kind.

 

With his overflowing cargo short pockets. Jan was Jan.

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