Clifford Johnson, 86

Clifford Carl Johnson, 86, a longtime resident and well-known businessman of Mountain Home, died Monday, Sept. 29, 2003, at Elmore Medical Center.

Visitation will be held prior to the services on Thursday, Oct. 2, from 9-10:15 a.m. at Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2, at Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.

Clifford was born April 24, 1917, in Rupert, Idaho, the son of Carl and Mary (Rasmussen) Johnson. He spent his youth in Rupert and attended schools there.

In 1935, he married Vera Spidell.

Clifford worked these early years as a logger and sawmill operator in the Fall Creek and Ketchum areas.

Clifford and Vera moved to Mountain Home in 1939 and he started a construction company. In 1943 his brother, Woodrow, and his brother-in-law, K.O. Reisinger, joined the company. The name was changed to Johnson, Johnson and Reisinger Construction Company. During the company's early years they built many of the homes and commercial buildings in Mountain Home. In 1951, Mountain Home Redi-Mix was formed.

When K.O. retired the company was renamed Johnson Brothers Construction Company. During that time the brothers built the MHAFB Schools, Rimrock Junior/Senior High School, LDS Churches, Elm's Park Shopping Center in Boise, the Gear Jammer Truck Stop, Idaho Power building, Home Federal, Pioneer Federal Savings and the Foothills Motor Inn.

In 1985, Johnson Brothers Hospitality was formed with Clifford still involved in the development of the Best Westerns in Mountain Home and Caldwell; Sleep-Inn in Mountain Home and the just-opened Hilton Garden Inn in Eagle.

Clifford was active in the community. He had served on the city council, was a charter member of the Elks Lodge in Mountain Home, and was one of the founders of the Boy Scout Camp Wilson barbecue.

He served in the Navy during World War II.

"Clifford will be remembered as a great fisherman and outdoorsman," his family said. "He was the happiest being in the mountains at his Fall Creek cabin fishing in the summers and snowmobiling in the winter."

Clifford is survived by: his son, Larry Johnson and wife Joanne, his brother, Alvin and wife Winkie Johnson of Cresswell, Ore., his son-in-law, Dick Berry, seven grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Vera, daughter Betty Berry, sisters Ida Reisinger Barry and Augusta Moran, and brother Woodrow Johnson.

Memorials may be made in Clifford's name to the Elmore Medical Center Foundation, Attn: Suzanne, 895 N. 6th East St., Mountain Home, ID 83647.