Ted "Bear" Johnson

Hi GANG out there in the SEA of LIFE,

Ted, my GENTLE GIANT, passed away on April 22, TOD called at 1300 which is 1:00 p. m. for you non military/non firefighters. When 1400 rolled around, I was in Phoenix at Perryville visiting our little jail bird, Julie, I had an urgent calling to leave and get home right away. I did. Unknown to me, Ted was having a massive heart attack. He had called me at 12:25 and left a message on my voice mail "Jackson, I called the paramedics, I am having a heart attack. They will probably take me to Buckeye again. Try to call or get home" I had ten messages on my phone and after the third one I tried to called Ted and it went to the voice mail. I called Christi, my neighbor and she said, "Jacque are you driving?" "Yes, I am on my way home right now!" " Pull off the side of the road" I DID I asked, "What is wrong Christi,?" She handed the phone to Chester, her husband. "What is wrong, Chester?" "Are you on the side of the road"" "Yes" "Jacque, I am so sorry, Ted passed away of a massive heart attack! They tried to bring him back, but couldn't " "OK, I will be on the road right now: Do NOT, I repeat, Do NOT let the La Paz County (Parker Funeral Home) take Ted until I get there to say good bye to him and tell him I love him." "OK, we won't" he replied." (Ted had heart damage from Agent Orange)

I drove 100 miles an hour and got home with in 45 minutes. I called the Highway Patrol and advised the dispatch that there was a crazy, white headed lady with her hair blown back driving a red, Ford, 4X4 going very fast on I-10 west bound and could I have an escort to Salome. MY Husband has passed away and it is urgent that I get there in a timely manner. She told me that they cannot give escorts for that sort of thing but she would notify the Highway Department so they would know what is going on. I did not see one Highway Patrol. Praise God.

I arrived home safely. I ran into our home in Salome and there in the living room, Ted was already prepared on the gurney and had a green table cloth laying over him.(It matched his eyes. He had handsome green eyes) I thought, "Why the heck are they using my green table clothe to cover my Ted. As I felt the material, I could see that it was not mine. It was a lined blanket. I walked quietly over to him. I touched his forehead and cheeks and they were very, very cold. I looked into his face and told him, "I am so sorry that I was not here for you!": Then I looked up to the ceiling where I know he was waiting and I told him, "Ted, I know that this shell of a GENTLE GIANT is just that!! It is a house that God let you live in for 62 years. Now HE has called you home. WE had so many plans to do and finish. YOU knew something was up, didn't you. You told me about 6 months ago that you felt like you were running out of time. I just blew it off and said,"Cancel Cancel, don't be a WALLY" (Cancel-Cancel was our way of thinking positive and giving it to GOD) But now I know you are at peace. But I know now that you would have wanted it THIS way!! You booger, you knew something was up; that is why you let me go to Buckeye to get the grass seed and peat moss and visit Julie. I know that you did not want the DNR because we talked extensively about that. They tried but you just wouldn't come back. I was told you went peace fully and you do look very peaceful. In fact I have never seen you this peaceful. I want you to know that I love you so much and will never stop loving you. I will miss you so much and I already DO!" I know that you are PAIN FREE now and that you do not have to lose 60 pounds in order to have your knee implant. I know very well that you are sitting at the Right Hand Of God and you are visiting mom and dad Johnson, my mom and dad Vaughn, Uncle Alec and Nanny Ruth, Blue Nanny, Poppy, Mike, Holly, Jim Brown, Paula Janousek and ALL those that have been waiting for you to come home. I miss you and I love you so much. It's OK, we will all be OK. I will stay on here in Salome and finish our projects. Will you look down on me and help me when I ask!?" Then I turned to the Funeral Director, Daniel, and nodded my head. That meant that they could take him. Daniel told me to take as long as I needed. Now, remember, Ted had been passed on for two hours and like I said he was COLD. Well, I looked into his face one last time and It was a MIRACLE!!. Ted was crying real tears. They were flowing down his cheeks on both sides. His eyes were full of warm tears. I ran and got his red bandana and I ran back over to him and I silently wiped all the tears from his cheeks and out of his eyes until his face was completely dry. I told him, "I know these are tears of Joy because you are sitting at the Right Hand Of God like you believed from the beginning of time. You are not sad for YOU, you are sad for the ONES that you have to leave behind and carry on their lives". HE HEARD ME! HE STAYED TO HEAR ME TELL HIM I LOVE HIM AND WILL MISS HIM. GOD as my witness and 4 other people in the room saw the same thing! NOBODY IN THE WORLD can tell me any different. God gave his only Son to sacrifice HIS life for our sins and when he rose from the dead, HE gave us a gift; THE HOLY SPIRIT, OUR SOUL. WE all have the POWER; you just have to ask and you shall be given. Ted and I thanked GOD daily for our BLESSINGS and for dying on the Cross to forgive us of our SINS. These tears were proof to me that THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH. We just don't go earth to earth and ashes to ashes. If we have asked God to forgive us of our sins, HE does. Then when we die, we leave the temporary housing that HE was letting us use; yours just wasn't for very long. But Ted got out of this world JUST HOW HE WANTED TO. He did not suffer. He went fast and quiet in roughly 35 minutes. You are here and then you are not. "IT IS WHAT IT IS" (A phrase that I got from my sister Sue)

I wasn't home when this happened. I had gone to visit Julie, our daughter, in the Big House at Perryville.{ (I was going to get the grass seed and peat moss on the way out of town)} I must have walked through the metal detector about the time he passed. I had too many rings on and they told me that I could not wear three rings. I had on two wedding rings and Ted's AA ring. "Can't you make an exception?" 'NO, the rules are clear!" Well, heck, I knew that. I used to work for D. O. C. but like any inmate does, I was trying to pull a fast one on them. I didn't have any money to put the rings in the locker. The officer told me I could walk to my car. I started bawling. I told him that my husband just passed away last week and I just don't have the strength to walk out to the car in this heat and that I just decided on a whim to come to visit Julie because she needed me. A nice lady gave me 50 cents to put my rings in the locker. There are a lot of good people in the world! Another lady grabbed hold of me in the sally port where you have to show your license and see your stamped hand and she prayed fervently for US. WOW, The Power WE can have if we just would claim it.

Julie, Bev and I had a great visit and she decided that she would not go to the funeral because she would have to do it alone with two DOC officers in the room and she had heard that they harass the crap out of you, like, "Well, if you weren't in here you could be with the rest of your family." You know, that is just WRONG.. Julie is where she needed to be; it was a Godsend. Everything happens for a reason. I think if she would have been out, clean and sober, then she would have went right out and stuck a needle in her arm again and then it would have been over. God blesses us in so many ways. We do not know the PLAN OR THE BIG PICTURE but HE DOES.

So don't let anybody tell you we just die and they bury us and that is it. We do, FLY AWAY. GOD BE WITH YOU ALL. My testimony of, "Ted's Tears" will be told to as many people I can tell it to because GOD gave me that sign to let ME know that HE, TED, heard ME. I am pretty sure that if I had not told them to hold Ted until I got home, I would not have witnessed this MIRACLE.

Ted is survived by me, dah! Three daughters, Julie Yvonne, Brandilyn Ruth, and Chelsea Casanova. One son, Theodore Thomas Johnson. Two sisters, Jerri and Bill Long and their children Kate and Mike and their children; Melanie and Pat, Cassie and her children and Rachel and her children , and Jennifer Johnson and her daughters Terry and Dawn and their children. Two ex-wives, Tracy Johnson and Lucinda Johnson. Many grandchildren. Tony Short, Samantha Jean, Vincent, Elizabeth, Kenyon, Kain, Terrell, Angelina and Michael. Two great grand daughters Haley and Emery. Many, many sister in laws and brother in laws; Nancy and Jim Bedell and their daughter Kelley and David and their children; Michael, Mackenzie, and Colton, Susan and Rod Shaver and their children and grandchildren; Scott and Emily Shaver Alice and Jack, Sonja and Brian and their children, Hazel and Ezra, Leslie and Ron Minner and their two children and grandchildren, Mason and Laura and Michelle; Kim and Matt and their unborn daughter, Haley Christine. Many, many more; if I haven't mentioned you please do not feel offended. I am not really in my right mind right now. Many, Many friends that I cannot begin to name. Everyone, All of you have been so supportive and loving and helpful in my time of grief.

I just can't imagine this has happened. Ted was only 62. He has been suffering for many years with knee pain. He really should have gotten knee implants ten years ago but he told me,"Jackson, don't ask me about it anymore; when I am unable to stand the pain, I will go have it done." I replied, "OK, Theo." He had just gone to the VA Hospital on Friday, April 20th to see the orthopedic surgeon and he was going to have the right knee done as soon as he lost 60 pounds. I told him, "OH BOY, I will go on the diet with you, Babe!" We were excited that we would start on our diet on April 23rd. On April 21st I was fixing dinner and it was getting late because I was trying to find my stove. LOL. Some time went by and he yelled out from his lazy boy chair, "Hey Jackson, how is supper coming? I am starving!! Do I sound like Billy Bones?" We both started laughing. I told him not to give up on me. I was fixing bean burrows with all the fixings. He loved onions on his and for the first time I had a feeling that he would like to have the onions saute, so secretly I was frying up the onion. He yelled out, "Something sure does smell good in there!" I answered, "Don't give up on me, Theo., it is almost done. As we sat in our lazy boy chairs and started to watch " SWEET HOME ALABAMA" I started to play my tetra game on my phone. He looked over at me and asked, "What are you doing?" I sheepishly replied,"I am playing my game before the movie starts."

He claimed, "I did something for my self." I answered, "What did you do?" "I bought a game online!" "OH, what game did you get?" "I GOT DUME AND I LOVE IT. I sure wish I could bring my computer

in here and play my game!" I looked at him in shock and closed my phone up and put it up on the coffee. LOL. We watched that wonderful love story and I have to tell you that THAT is OUR STORY. Ted and I were High School sweethearts. We met back in 1965. I was just starting as a freshman and he was a sophomore. We fell in love and dated for three years. When he graduated in 1968 he went off and joined the Marines with Steve Reynolds, John Dick, Freddie Coates and more. I was so sad and alone in my senior year. I wasn't able to go to his Marine graduation. My parents did not want me to go out of state. During this time away from Ted, I had started chumming around with an old flame of mine that I met years earlier; Pete Janousek. When I first saw him he was a counselor in summer camp and he could tell the most scary, spooky stories. I had a childhood crush on him, but he never knew it until I started swimming on the Chandler swim team. He was on the team too, and I would always just bug the crap out of him. When Ted went into the Marines, Pete was just getting out of the Army and he was working at the Sky Harbor Airport. Well, one night I got home and Ted and my sister, Nancy, were sitting in the living room on the couch. I looked at them both in shock and asked, "What's UP?" Ted shyly said, "Oh, I am on leave from Pendleton and I thought I would just drop by. Nan and I went to a concert." "OH,I see" I asked Ted if I could talk to him. He replied, "Sure” Well, I told him that the night before, Pete bought me an engagement ring and then we went and looked at model homes and he even put a down payment. I don't want to marry Pete, because, Teddy, I love you." He said,"Well, don't marry that guy, marry me!" I said, "OK, let's do it!" I do not know for the life of me why we did not get married while he was on leave. He was going on a tour to Viet Nam and he told me that we would get married when he got back. I am so BLESSED that God brought him home. I gave Pete his ring back and told him I am sorry that I could not marry him because I really loved Ted. Pete and Ted have remained friends all these years!

The last story that I want to tell you is what happened on Friday, April 20th. He was in Tucson having that appointment with the Surgeon. He stopped and had lunch with Brandi and then headed home. I drove to meet Mark MacVittie at Vicksburg and when I got there, he called me and told me, "I am at the LOVES or PILOT." I said," You're in Quartzite? Mark, I can't drive to Quartzite, that is another 40 minutes." He said,"OK, I will call you when we come through on Saturday." I asked,"About what time would that be?" "OH, about 10 P. M." "OH, Mark, Ted and I will already be in bed and asleep." "OH, you two fuddie duddies." "Yeah, I guess we are. We will see you next time you come thru!" "OK" he replied. Well, I was already there in that area so I called my tire guy in Bouse and told him that I could come get his horse trailer that is full of tires and haul them to Salome. He agreed to that, so I arrived and we hooked up his trailer and I was off to Salome. I unloaded 97 tires. We are collecting tires to make a 4-5 foot wall for our tortoise habitat. Then I drove back to Bouse and Bobby and I loaded about 50-60 more. I drove back to Salome and by now I am really tired. So I took the puppies for the "PUPPY DRAG" Ted called it the DRAG because it actually looks like our BULLIES are pulling the Kabuta RTV down the road. When I got back, I got a drink and was waiting for Ted to get home from Tucson. When he got home he was telling me all about his meeting with the surgeon and he was so happy that he was finally going to get surgery. He said,"I

Get to keep my knee cap!" He was so excited about THAT. We talked for about another hour and then Steve "Slew" called and I knew I would be out of the picture for an hour or so, so I went and got the dishes done or something. Ted was telling Slew how he was going to have to lose 60 pounds. Ted had told the doctor, "Hey, doc, why don't you just cut my leg off, that would be about 60 pounds? Right?" The doctor was not amused. Slew was telling him, "HEY BEAR, maybe you should get both your legs cut off. I played golf with a double amputee. He has $30,000 legs and he can play golf like a pro." "NO Shit!" replied Ted. They were laughing their asses off.

When Ted got off the phone he went in to get on the computer. He told me he was putting it off and putting it off and he is going to "GET R DONE" I asked, "What is that?" I am going to order you and Brandi those bibles I have been saying I would order for months. "ALRIGHT! BABY" He did get them ordered and he told me that he was having Brandi's ordered special so she would get it Monday, April 30th." Brandi did get her Bible on April 30th and she told me she was looking around in the box and on the receipt there was a message from Ted. "BUTTON, Mom And I love you so much and we are SO proud of you." The last message and thought from Daddy to his Button. Well, he passed away on Sunday and I just can't believe he got the bibles ordered and the taxes done too. OH WELL, I should rephrase THAT. "I do BELIEVE he got it done. He had a MISSION. HE really must have had some kind of premonition. We went to bed around midnight and I remember that he won the "I LOVE YOU MORE" game. He told me he LOVE ME MORE AT MIDNIGHT. Next morning we got up and he made the coffee like he always does and we sat and talked about what we were going to do. We had to unload those tires and take Marty's trailer back and then I had a surprise for him. I told him that I would like him to look at the horse trailer that Marty gave me. He said, "OK? What are you going to do with a horse trailer?" "Well, I want to paint it red and paint 'HAPPY TRACKS' on it. You know, like tracks of a train?" Ted has hundreds of engines and (Garden scale) railroad cars that he was just getting ready to lay some track for. He had been building mountains and pathways with his tractor. He was having SO much fun with that tractor. Buying that tractor was the BEST thing he ever did for himself. He replied,"OK" He got dressed and headed outside. I told him not to unload those tires until I can get dressed and go help him. Well, by the time I fed the dogs, Buffy and the tortoise, he was back and ready to go to Bouse and drop that trailer off. So, we got our water jugs and headed to Bouse. We unhitched the trailer and I said, "See, Honey, my horse trailer?" It is an old, old horse trailer and he was scratching his head and saying, "Well, lets try it!" We hooked up the horse trailer and it has a hitch that you screw down on to the ball. He was looking at that and really had a big question mark on his face. I said,"We can leave here and get it another day?" "NO, we will pull it over to Bouse." We were just down the road from our Bouse House so I said,"YEAH, that is a good idea." We pulled out on Hwy 72 and he said,"Jackson, this is the scariest thing I have EVER DONE. I have half the seat cover sucked up my ass." I said, "OH, come on Wally, cancel, cancel now. We can do it. !" We did it. We dropped the old horse trailer off in Bouse and there she sits. One more thing to get off the Bouse property.

Ron Shasteen just called and he had to go to the top. He was getting the run around so he called the Marine Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He talked to Sgt. Major and blew his hair back. He gave me a number to call and arrange for the Color Guard 21 gun salute and what ever included in that. When I called the number and gave the Lance Cpl. Brooks Ted's social security number, he said, "It is already arranged." I said, "Really, Praise the Lord!" GOING OUT IN STYLE!!!

ALSO

I was able to get a hold of Eddie Montana at the City of Tucson Fire Department. He is on the committee for the LAST ALARM FOUNDATION.INC They are having a meeting today and deciding how they are going to get the LAST ALARM to the Valley of the Sun from Tucson. I was told they are adamant about getting down here. Now this Engine is a retired Engine that they have made into the LAST ALARM ENGINE and they are going to do this for Ted. There is not charge for this wonderful service. The Engine will be loaded from the Memorial and then Ted will be unloaded to his gravesite. Now I want ALL of you to pray for these brave FIREFIGHTERS that are going to be driving down to Chandler in this old, very slow, tricked out Fire Engine. (I was just informed this morning by Margaret Montano that the guys were laughing at my description of the LAST ALARM) The engine is brand new and it has been fully refurbished. You can go on line to http://lastalarmfoundation.com/ and see the pictures. They will have a job moving Ted. The coffin weighs 200 pounds and Ted weighs 290. I have to tell you that I had to pay extra for a special coffin that they sell for Tall/Big men. This is a very heavy, but beautiful coffin. Today I was able to borrow the money to pay for the funeral expenses. I will get my Dear Friend, Pete Goolsby, paid off when Ted's death benefits come in SO what I am going to ask you to do now is one of two things. Ted wanted to start donating to the WOUNDED WARRIORS FAMILY SUPPORT ( Marian Fey, Wounded Warriors Family Support 402-502-7557) since Ted was 100% disabled Viet Nam Combat Veteran. The VA and his combat group in Prescott had helped him so much while he was here. The second request is the second charity: LAST ALARM FOUNDATION, INC , P. O. Box 18408, Tucson, AZ 85731 These monies go to keeping the LAST ALARM sharp looking and is used for preventative maintenance and of course gas to go to and from memorials. If you can donate to either charity instead of flowers or plants, Ted would like that. I don't really like cut flowers and I will kill the plants. LOL

Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts, cards and donations in advance. May God Be With YOU.

Sincerely,

Jacquelyn L. Johnson

LAST NIGHT

I just got home from Chandler. It is after midnight and I am so glad that I am home. I went to Google and I put in Valley of the Sun 85226. When the map comes up, click on the number 2. This will be the place that the memorial services will be at on May 5th, at 10 a. m. Also, same place for the viewing for the people that cannot make it to the service on Saturday. This viewing is Friday night from 5 p. m. to 8 p. m. You don't want to miss this MEMORIAL on Saturday though. THEY WILL HAVE TED OUT EARLY SO TRY AND GET THERE ABOUT 9 A. M. After the burial at the gravesite the same day, you are invited to go to a reception at the "SHAVER'S HOME" at 4800 South Senate. 85228 when you Google this address you are going to see that it is just east of the Valley Of The Sun. If you do not want to see the burial services, you are welcome to go to that residents home, which is my sister, Sue and her husband Rod Shaver's home. Just relax and share stories what Ted meant to you. I am going to be having some one take pictures but I am also thinking of getting some disposable cameras so people can take pictures of everyone that is there.

FOR TUCSON TRAVELERS

Directions from Tucson are as follows. Go West bound on I-10 until you come to the exit that says Hwy 87 or Satan/Chandler exit. This exit is very tricky. Get off really fast but have to slow down to 25mph. At the stop sign, turn left and you will be headed north. This road will go across the Reservation and will turn into south Arizona Ave. You will come to a light and I think that light will tell you Arizona Avenue and Bush Highway. You will see a bar on your right that says "Last Chance" if it is still there. If you go right, you are going to end up in Florence; SO, you want to continue North until you come to Chandler Heights Road. At that stop light, you are going to turn left, west. Go down to the second exit at 10940 E. Chandler Heights road where you will see the sign Valley of the Sun and you will see a building which is going to be the Chapel. When you get there if you look back to the east, you will see a sun dial, the grave sight will probably be all ready dug with chairs and canopy and it will be just west of the sun dial.

If you have any questions you can call the funeral Director, Taylor, at 480-895-9232. You can call me or text me or email me any time. 520-307-5683 (LOVE) I am going to be really busy for the next couple of days, so don't give up on me. I will get back to you.