George E. Johnson

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[[Obituary:
Portland Newspapers Sep 20, 2000
George E. "Bud" Johnson, a lifelong island resident and longtime lobsterman, died of cancer at his home on Long Island on Sept. 17, 2000. He was 73.
Born on Long Island, a son of George E. Jr. and Lillian MacVane Johnson, he attended the island school and Portland High School. He started doing some lobster fishing as a boy, his family said, and found that he never wanted to do anything else. "It gets in their blood and won't let them go," said his wife, Dawn Johnson.
A deeply patriotic man, Mr. Johnson left the close-knit island community during World War II to enlist in the Navy. He returned to his beloved Long Island after the war ended in 1945 and immediately started hauling lobster traps with his brother. Soon he had his own boat and was lobstering full time.
In the mid-1950s, when the Maine Lobstermen's Association was formed, Mr. Johnson became a delegate for Long Island "so that the lobster fisherman could have a say in things," recalled his wife.
Despite long hours and hard work, Mr. Johnson enjoyed all the time he spent on the water and hauling lobster traps. "He just loved that life," said his wife. She recalled that some of his happiest times were on his boat in the peaceful morning hours "before daylight and being in the sound between Long Island and Chebeague just watching the sun come up."
After about 46 years as a fisherman, Mr. Johnson was forced to retire due to illness. "He knew he couldn't do it," said his wife. "He just had to accept it. Not that he liked it."
Mr. Johnson loved lobster boat races and, even after he stopped participating, enjoyed hearing about his sons' races. His wife remembered how impatient he got once when he was in the hospital and his son, who had just finished a race, called to see how he was feeling, "He said 'don't ask how I'm doing, tell me how you're doing!' "
Along with lobstering and lobster boat racing, Mr. Johnson enjoy watching his son, Steven, and grandson, Daniel, build lobster boats. He also liked hunting and camping, dancing and playing horseshoes. He was interested in baseball and played on several island teams.
Mr. Johnson was a perpetually happy man who "enjoyed life to its fullest," his daughter, Nancy Norton, said. He loved people and was remembered as a "joker and a tease," with a "typical New England, Maine dry wit."
He was a charter member and past commander of the Long Island Memorial VFW Post 9605.
Surviving are his wife of 53 years, Dawn Horr Johnson; three sons, David, Steven and Robert of Long Island; a daughter, Mrs. John (Nancy) Norton of Cape Elizabeth, six grandchildren and a step- grandson; a brother, Earl of Long Island; two sisters, Mrs. Stanley (Carolyn) Peterson of Westbrook and Mrs. David (Sylvia) Hoer of Springfield, Mo.
A celebration of life will be at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, at the Long Island VFW Hall.
Arrangements are by Hay & Peabody Funeral Home, 749 Congress St., Portland.

George married Living [Group Sheet]

George married Lillian Macvane on 23 Feb 1915 in Long Island, Cumberland Co, Maine, USA. Lillian was born on 23 Oct 1894 in Long Island, Cumberland Co, Maine, USA; died on 26 Oct 1978 in Westbrook, Cumberland Co, Maine, USA. [Group Sheet]