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1933
2017
Lester Fred Johnson, 84, passed away in Arlington on May 14, 2017 (Mother's Day). He was born on February 8, 1933 in Auburn, Washington to Lester and Annite Mae (Knight) Johnson. Les grew up in Aberdeen, WA. He graduated from J. M. Weatherwax High School, commonly known as Aberdeen High School. Les remained close throughout his lifetime with his buddies from there, forming a group known as "The Lake Quinault Derelicts". The Derelicts continued to gather several times a year – even creating a webpage on their Aberdeen Weatherwax Class of 1951 website.
Les joined the US Marines and served in Korea (1953 -1955). The 38th parallel armistice was signed while he was still in boot camp. When he returned from the war, he attended Grays Harbor College earning a degree in Arts and Science. He worked for a time at Boeing and then joined Weyerhaeuser where he worked in wood products and became Manager of the Graphic Arts and Visuals Department. Les also worked in a number of retail sporting goods stores including Shoff Fishing Tackle Co. in Kent WA and The Swallows Nest in Seattle (both are no longer in existence), as well as Patrick's Fly Shop in Seattle, WA and Orvis in Bellevue, WA.
Les started fishing at a young age with his grandfather, Edward Knight, his mentor. Granddad did well!! Les has been an avid writer of the fishery he loved so much. His articles have appeared in Field and Stream, Western Outdoors, Saltwater Sportsman, Salmon Trout Steelheader, Fly Rod and Reel, Fly Fishing in Salt Water, and Fly Fisherman. He was the founding editor of the magazine Western Fly Tying, which he later expanded into Fly Fishing and Tying Journal.
In addition to magazine articles, Les has authored or co-authored several fly-fishing books. These include Sea Run (Complete Guide to Fishing for Sea Run-Cutthroat Trout) (1979); Fly-Fishing Coastal Cutthroat Trout (2004); Fly-Fishing for Pacific Salmon (1985 –co-authored); Fly Fishing for Pacific Salmon II (2008 – co-authored); and Tube Flies: A Tying, Fishing and Historical Guide (1995- co-authored). Les was a co-host on several episodes of Flyfishing Northwest.
Les originated and developed a number of saltwater fly patterns. These include the Johnson's Beach Fly, the Johnson's Partridge Spider, the McCullough, a Chironomid pattern, the Disco Sand Lance, and the Williams Point Sand Lance as well as co-originator of the FJ Pink and the Thorne River Emerger.
Les has been a passionate and longtime advocate for the protection of salmon, steelhead, and coastal cutthroat trout. In 1973 he lobbied for the welfare of cutthroat, which are now sheltered under catch and release regulations in marine waters. In 2002, Les joined with others in helping to found the Wild Steelhead Coalition.
Over the years, Les has been recognized for his fly fishing and conservation efforts. In 1999, the Washington Fly Fishing Club presented Les the Tommy Brayshaw Award. In 2015, Les was also presented the club's most prestigious award – the Letcher Lambuth Angling Craftsman Award. In 2002, the Northwest Fly Anglers presented Les its Dawn Holbrook Award. In 2010, the Federation of Fly Fishers' (FFF) presented Les the Arnold Gingrich Memorial Life Award at the FFF National Fly Fishing Fair and Conclave held in West Yellowstone, Montana. Most recently (May 5, 2017), the Washington State Council IFFF awarded Les the Washington Fly Tying Hall of Fame Award.
Les is survived by his wife Carol, daughters Stacy and Laurie and sons Allen and Brian, granddaughter Desiree, grandson Daniel, and great granddaughter, Ariella, He is also survived by stepsons, Lawrence and Mark, and step grandsons, Tyler and Kyle.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday, June 5, 2017 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Arlington WA (1200 East 5th St. Arlington, WA). Burial will be at Tahoma National Cemetery on June 6, 2017 at 11:00 AM.
Donations in his honor may be made to:
• The St .Vincent DePaul Society: c/o Immaculate Conception Church, PO Box 69. Arlington, WA 98223.
Fly Fishers International (formerly Federation of Fly Fishers): 5237 US Highway 89 South, STE 11, Livingston, MT 59047-9176 or online at: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/flyfishersinternational?code=FFI_Home_Page
Arrangements under the direction of Weller Funeral Home, Arlington, WA.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by Weller Funeral Home.
May 24, 2017
Leslie Wilder
What a sweet man! I will miss seeing him each week! Take care of you! Leslie Wilder
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 24, 2017
Lester Johnson
May 22, 2017
Nancy Wills
Carol, I'm so sorry for your loss. I am glad that we met Les, once at your home, soon after you two moved in and, again, at Rose and Tom's. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
May 21, 2017
Condolences Carol on the passing of Lester. We missed him at our class reunion last year and thought we may see him this June 2 at our yearly. Sadly enough that will not happen. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and Lester. Sincerely, Carol Beth Arnold Olson representing the class reunion planning group of 11.
May 21, 2017
Leo Gormley
Les was my lifetime friend. We first met in our sophomore year at Aberdeen (WA) High School. Our friendship spanned nearly 70 years. We lived in the same block in Aberdeen's West End. After graduation we
both served our country during the Korean War -- Les in the Marines and I, in the Navy.
During the ensuing years, we were busy raising our respective families and saw each sporadically, but always stayed in touch. In our middle 40s, quite by accident, we were both living in the Tacoma area, and rekindled our friendship. We discovered we both were joggers and we
would meet at Point Defiance and run 5-mile Drive together. We also ran The (Tacoma) News Tribune's annual Sound-to-Narrows race in 1981.
In the early '90s, Les and seven of our 1951 high school classmates formed a fraternal group known as the Lake Quinault Derelicts. We met annually at Lake Quinault and spent the weekend reminiscing our high
school days of 40 years past. In the late '90s, one of the Derelicts built a mountain cabin near Cle Elum and our reunions became
semi-annual -- one in June and the other usually in February, when the snow was flying.
With Les' passing, only three Derelicts now remain.
Farewell, dear friend.
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