OBITUARY

Ivan Lynn Johnson joined his wife in heaven at the age of 87 in Grand Junction, CO on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. He was born on January 7, 1938, in Erda, Utah, to Laurance Marin Johnson and Anna Eliza Small Johnson.

Lynn married Betty Beatrice Durham on May 23, 1959, in Moab, Utah. They had four children, three boys and one girl. Lynn devoutly served his Pentecostal faith, including pastoring for 37 years, first in Moab, and then in the Ogden area, retaining his ministerial license with the United Pentecostal Church until his passing.

He moved with his parents to Moab when he was 6. Lynn joined the US Army in May of 1955, where he was stationed in France. He had many stories to tell about his time in France. When he returned to Moab in 1958, he worked different jobs, including construction and mining, the Uranium Reduction Company, Texas Gulf & Sulfur, Grand County Road Department, and the City of Moab. Lynn moved his wife and two oldest sons to California in 1963, where he worked for the Southern Counties Gas Company. He enjoyed the work in California, but due to the high cost of living, they returned to Utah in 1964. In October 1971, the family moved to the Ogden area, until 2005 when they retired back to Moab. While in the Ogden area he worked for Tech Steel, Inc., Williams International, and Hill Air Force Base. He received his Associate of Applied Science, Machine Tool Degree in 1985. Lynn always made sure his family was provided for. His hobbies included woodworking, including building doll furniture, cabinets for the house and small tables. He enjoyed working in his yards and gardens. He had major heart surgery in December 2005, and once released by his doctor, his “light exercise” was building a rock wall that spanned his back yard. As a youth, he read many books, including poetry which he memorized quite a bit of, especially if it told a story. He would often recite the different poems to his children, and at times his preaching would be in spontaneous poetic rhyming. His quiet wit, wisdom, advice and love will be sorely missed by many.

Lynn is survived by his children, Michael (Tammy), Philip (Donna), Gayle Hansen (Grant), Erik (Serena), 15 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Betty, mother Anna, father Laurance, brothers Laurance Jr. (Marin) and Lloyd, sisters Laura, Delta and Dorothy, among many other loved ones.

A Graveside Service will be held May 29, 2025 at 10:00 am at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Moab, Utah.

Family and friends are invited to share tributes online at www.SpanishValleyMortuary.com.

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