Calmer Johnson, Jr., 84

Calmer Joseph Johnson, Jr., 84, of Mountain Home, died Friday, June 16, 2006, at a Boise hospital.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 23, 2006, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. Inurnment will follow, in the family plot, at Yerington, Nev., at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel.

Calmer was born on May 12, 1922, to Calmer Joseph, Sr., and Mary Anna (Hanzl) Johnson in Longworth, Texas.

Calmer grew up on the family cotton farm where he learned to love the land and to work on all types of machinery. He graduated from Roby High School in Roby, Texas.

Calmer married Enide Brown on June 29, 1942, and they moved to San Francisco, Calif., where he worked in the shipyards. In 1944, the U.S. Army called, so they moved back to Texas so his wife and daughter could stay with family while he was away. Calmer served two and half years in the European Theatre with the Headquarters and Service Troop, 25th Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron.

Following WWII, he moved his family back to California where he worked for Greyhound Bus Lines, as a diesel mechanic. He then opened an auto repair and body shop. He longed to farm, so back to Texas they went. Dryland farming is difficult even for the most dedicated, so it was back to California, where he worked for Cummins Diesel as a mechanic.

While visiting friends in Weed Heights, Nev., Calmer and Enide fell in love with the surrounding area and moved there in 1953. Calmer went to work for Anaconda Mining Company as a diesel mechanic. A few years later they began ranching in the Yerington area, owning several hay and field operations for many years.

After retiring from ranching in that area, they bought a ranch in Gabbs Valley, Nev., where he developed a pivot sprinkler system, on which he held several patents. He then opened Enide Company in Yerington, Nev/, where he manufactured and sold the sprinklers to ranchers in Nevada and California.

After another retirement, they began to travel a little and discovered the mountains of Idaho. They purchased the South Fork Ranch near Featherville, where they built a house and remodeled the original homestead house. They then moved to Mountain Home, where they worked on restoring antique cars and motorcycles.

He loved the land, and even when his eyesight failed and his health didn't allow him to farm, work on vehicles, or operate farm equipment, he still planted trees and a garden, and was outside as much as possible.

Calmer is survived by: his daughter, Ronda, and her husband, Wes Madewell of Winnemucca, Nev., three grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and a sister, Dorothy Fewel, of Wauwatosa, Wisc.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, and a sister.

When Calmer's wife Enide passed away in January, 2006, Calmer began an endowment fund for the Lyon County Museum in Yerington, Nevada, in her memory. Calmer and Enide were instrumental in founding the museum and were active members until they moved from the Yerington area. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Lyon County Museum, 215 S. Main, Yerington, NV 89447, or to a charity of choice.