Stephen Lloyd Johnson

In Loving Memory of Stephen “Steve” Lloyd Johnson
June 9, 1942 – September 25, 2026
  Stephen passed peacefully September 25, 2026 after a long battle with Crest.  
  Stephen Lloyd Johnson, known to his family and friends as Steve, was born on June 9, 1942, the only son of Stephen Iannelli and Maria Gonzalez in Rock Hill, South Carolina. His father was serving in the Army at the time. The family later moved to Manhattan, New York, where Stephen vividly remembered fishing as a little boy in New York’s famous Central Park.  At the age of eight, Stephen's parents divorced. His mother, Maria, later met a Navy man, Lloyd Johnson, in Manhattan, and the two moved to Miami, Florida, where they built a life that Stephen would always remember as paradise.
  Stephen grew up believing he had lived in the golden age of America. He had his own fishing boat and spent summers in North Florida, fishing on the Withlacoochee River and swimming at Rainbow Springs. From an early age, he developed a deep love for reptiles, birds, fish, and wildlife—a love that stayed with him throughout his entire life.
  Stephen learned the value of hard work at a young age. At just 13 years old, he had a paper route, waking before school each morning at 3:00 a.m. to roll and deliver newspapers alongside a man he became very fond of, Mr. Val Rawls. He also remembered fishing around 79th Street and Biscayne Bay, memories from his childhood that stayed vivid throughout his life.
  Stephen graduated from high school in 1961 and joined the United States Air Force through the buddy system. His buddy washed out, however, and Stephen was sent on his own to Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington, to serve his country.  It was a turbulent time in American history, with the Vietnam War unfolding and tensions running high during the Cold War. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy ordered certain military personnel to remain stateside, and Steve always considered it the grace of God that he remained in the United States.  While stationed at Fairchild, Stephen worked in the gym, where he played racquetball and handball with airmen and officers alike.
  Then, one night in the 1960s, fate brought him to a motel party where he met a Gonzaga girl named Patricia Hawe. Patricia was engaged to another Marine, but Cupid had other plans. Six months later, Stephen and Patricia were married in a small Catholic ceremony.
  Stephen and Patricia, known to everyone as Steve and Patty, went on to build a remarkable life together.
Their first daughter, Sarene, was born a year after their first anniversary. Patricia accepted a teaching position in Idaho, and Stephen agreed to make the move because his heart had always belonged to the West. Together, they began building their life in Idaho.  Seven years later, their second daughter, Maria, was born in Caldwell.  Stephen held many jobs throughout his life. He worked as a Nampa firefighter, and it was during those years that he discovered another lifelong passion: running.
  He started with just seventeen laps around the firehouse station, which equaled a mile. Before long, he was running everywhere.  Running became much more than exercise for Stephen—it became part of who he was. He became a serious runner and completed the Robie Creek race seven times back in the 1970s, long before running became as popular as it is today. For 30 years, most Saturdays, he could be found running with a group of men out of the Boise YMCA.  Stephen always joked that he had two daughters, worked with women, and even had female dogs, so running was his male bonding time.
  Stephen eventually decided to use his GI Bill to attend the College of Idaho, where he pursued a degree in elementary education. He worked for the Nampa School District and eventually began teaching fifth grade at Joplin Elementary in the Meridian School District, where he became known simply as Mr. J.
  Mr. J. was the kind of teacher students remembered for the rest of their lives.  His enormous curiosity and lifelong love of learning made science and history come alive in his classroom. Stephen had an incredible memory. He could tell you what year he had each student, remember their names, and even remember what their parents did for a living.
That was Stephen—present, observant, curious, and genuinely interested in people.  He continued his education and earned a master’s degree in special education from Boise State University.
He was an excellent educator and was beloved by countless students and parents. The number of lives he touched cannot be measured. The lessons he taught and the memories he created will continue to ripple through generations.
  Outside of teaching and running, Stephen had many passions. He loved hunting, shooting, riding horses, and cycling. He loved his friends and his family deeply, but above all, he loved his wife, Patricia, his partner of 57 years.
  Stephen was also an animal lover. His many hunting dogs and pets were an important part of his life, and they loved him right back. We like to imagine that they were waiting for him at the Rainbow Bridge.
Stephen is survived by his sister, Mary Ann Oleskin (Kenny Oleskin); his brother, Louie Iannelli (Harriet Iannelli); his daughters, Sarene Zummo (Vince Zummo) and Maria Johnson Zamora (Ramiro Zamora); his grandchildren, Derek Reed, Kyle Reed, and Alexander Steward (Abigail Steward); and his great-grandchildren, Derek Reed Jr. and Dylan Reed.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Patricia Johnson; his brother, Glenn Johnson; and his parents, Stephen Iannelli, Lloyd Johnson, and Maria Johnson.
Stephen lived a big life.
  He was a fisherman, a hunter, a firefighter, a runner, an educator, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a friend—and a man who never stopped learning.
  He left his mark on thousands of people, and that mark will stand the test of time.
  He will be deeply missed.
  Our hope is that he is running free, with one of his beloved dogs beside him, holding his sweetheart’s hand, surrounded by the places and people he loved—and raising a toast to the good life.
Run free, Steve. You earned it.
  In lieu of flowers, Stephen wished that donations be made in his loving memory to the National Scleroderma Foundation, to help raise awareness for those who live with this horrible syndrome.
  A Rosary for Stephen Johnson will be held Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 11:30 AM followed by a Funeral Mass at 12:00 PM at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 211 E. 1st St. Emmett, Idaho.  Interment will follow at the Emmett Cemetery. 

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