Their Memories Live On

There’s a lot I didn’t know about my Uncle Elmer Johnson, mostly because he passed away when I was just 25. I’d known him my whole life, of course, but like with most families, you don’t see your aunts, uncles, and cousins every day. Uncle Elmer was just 47 years old when he died, so many of the stories I’ve learned about him have come from his kids. Thanks to those stories, though, I feel like I’m getting to know him all over again…and I’m learning about talents he had, of which I was totally unaware.

My uncle was an amazing cook, which isn’t something you always see among men. While many men can grill, and that’s often their domain, Uncle Elmer could cook anything, anywhere…kitchen, campfire, or grill. He especially loved making holiday meals from scratch, filling their kitchen with aromas so irresistible the family would gather just to breathe them in. Waiting for the food to be ready was tough, but every bite made it worth it. He loved experimenting with flavors and dishes, and somehow, there were never any bad meals. He just instinctively knew what worked together and exactly how to season everything to perfection. I wish I could have been there for some of those meals, but as is common in big families, we didn’t have every holiday meal together…in fact we had few together.

Uncle Elmer worked in many places, mostly as some kind of truck driver. He moved furniture for Burke Moving and Storage and United Van Lines, working for Tom Aurelius, and often took his oldest son, Elmer, along for a couple of weeks in the summer. Those trips were a blast for young Elmer and likely sparked his own love for trucks and driving. In their downtime, nothing made them happier than camping, fishing, swimming, and just goofing off while enjoying the beauty of Wyoming. They camped out or stayed in cabins at spots like Louis Lake and Meadowlark Lake. According to his son, Elmer, Uncle Elmer was always happiest with a fishing pole in one hand and a beer in the other. Those family adventures became some of the best memories for Uncle Elmer and Aunt Dee’s four children: Ellen Bremner, Elmer Johnson, Darla Stanko, and Delwin Johnson. Although their parents and now, the two youngest children are in Heaven, their memories still live on. Today would have been Uncle Elmer’s 93rd birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Uncle Elmer. We love and miss you very much.