Clark Foster Johnson A hero little known except for many friends, neighbors, and family members passed away at age 96 in his home in St. George (Bloomington) Utah.

Clark Foster Johnson used his middle name, Foster, most of his life because his grandmother thought having the same first name as his father was too confusing.

Born in Fruitvale, Utah to Clark Lathiel Johnson and Mary Jane Baadsgaard Johnson, his mother died of an illness when he was just a few months old so he was raised by his maternal grandmother Margaret Beck Baadsgaard on a farm in Lake Shore, Utah. It was a simple life on that farm with no bathroom so they had to use an outhouse, (But they did have feather beds!). They pumped water into the kitchen from their well and used a wood burning stove for cooking. They raised chickens, gardened, and farmed. Foster had lots of family nearby and he enjoyed spending time with his aunts, uncles, and cousins. He also enjoyed riding a horse to grade school locally before he went on to graduate from Spanish Fork High School.

He fell in love and married Shirley Joyce Riches from Nephi, Utah in 1950. They were blessed with four children, Toni Ann Johnson MacAskill (Chris), Marna Gail Johnson Kimball (David), Curtis Dee Johnson (Deb), and Scott Foster Johnson. Foster and Shirley also helped raise two of their grandchildren, Avery Kimball and Adrian Kimball Harvell.

Foster loved children and enjoyed teaching his grandchildren how to use tools in his shop, including: Don MacAskill (Liz), Ben MacAskill (Kim), Mark MacAskill (Meghan), Anne MacAskill Bean (Scott), Avery Kimball, Adrian Kimball Harvell (Corey), and 15 great-grandchildren. Foster was preceded in death by his wife Shirley, daughter Marna, and son Curtis.

After marrying Shirley, he briefly worked ice fishing and then served in the Army during the Korean War in the 701st MP BN “C.” While serving in the Army Foster moved his wife and baby Toni to California to be with him. Lifelong friendships were made there at Fort MacArthur and they kept in touch with those Army friends throughout their lives.

Foster was a dedicated American Legion member and for many years and served as the American Legion's Ritual Team Commander by organizing and leading more than a hundred funeral honors for veterans with Taps and rifle volleys.

Foster had a love of working with his hands, building and repairing things, benefiting many people. He built three houses for the family to live in located in three different cities: Spanish Fork, South Jordan, and finally St. George (Bloomington). He worked as a bricklayer when he was young and became proficient enough to teach bricklaying at a local community college, a job which he loved. The career he retired from was maintenance engineer at Kennecott Copper mine.

Throughout his life Foster added skills such as welding, machining, auto restoring and repairing, and every other kind of work, but his favorite thing to do was to work with wood. He built furniture for his home and his family members and built dozens of beautiful wooden boxes and cutting boards from wood he salvaged from a local cabinet shop's discards (thanking the workers with a dozen donuts!). Every grandchild received a couple of stunning boxes he had made for them and he also gave away those special boxes and cutting boards to other family members and friends. He liked working more than traveling and would mostly like to stay local unless he was traveling to California to help build or fix things for his daughter Toni and husband Chris.

When he and Shirley moved to Bloomington they were able to enjoy golfing for a few years until Shirley's health forced them to stop. Foster liked adventure and new things and had a mid-life crisis when he went to the store to get some paint for the house and ended up coming home on a new motorcycle which thrilled his kids more than Shirley. Foster even went sky diving at the ripe old age of 87 and loved it..

Foster also loved helping people. Whenever a neighbor, friend, or family member needed help fixing or building something he would tell them to come over to his “playhouse” which was his beloved shop and he would help them. Anyone who came to their home was welcomed in and offered a cup of coffee. He was a friend to everyone he met and will be missed greatly by all who knew him.

The family appreciates all of the wonderful hospice care provided by Canyon Home Care and Hospice.

A Simple (per his request) graveside and military service will be held at Tonaquint Cemetery, 1777 S Dixie Dr. in St. George on Wednesday, August 5th, at 9 am.

Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 435-673-2454.

Family and friends are invited to share their condolences and sign Foster's online guestbook at www.SpilsburyMortuary.com