March 16, 1915-May 1, 2007

CONDON – Margaret “Juanita” Johnson, 92, a lifelong Gilliam County resident and active in rodeo, died May 1, 2007, at Summit Springs Village.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Igo Cemetery, near Condon. A luncheon will be served at St. John’s Parish Hall following the service.

Mrs. Johnson was born March 16, 1915, in Condon, to Frederick C. Greiner and Pearl Brown Greiner. She grew up on the Greiners’ Ferry Canyon ranch and graduated in 1933 from Condon High School.

Mrs. Johnson clerked and kept books in a store in Scappoose. She also worked for the Wheat Control Association.

In 1937, she married Howard C. Johnson in Goldendale, Wash. They lived on a ranch on Rock Creek. They moved to Ferry Canyon in 1943, where they operated a ranch and rodeoed. It was at that time when a group of returning local World War II veterans formed the “Bar 44 Gang”, a name derived from the Johnson’s Bar 44 brand.

In 1949, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson began producing their own rodeos. Mrs. Johnson served as secretary, timer and cook for the Howard Johnson Rodeo business.

In 1970, they retired from rodeoing. Mrs. Johnson and her husband spent their summers in the Starkey area; where she enjoyed fishing.

Mrs. Johnson was honored in 1977 for her twenty years plus for serving as rodeo secretary for the Clackamas County Fair and rodeo in Canby. In 1983, she and her husband served as grand marshals for the Gilliam County Fair. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1987.

Following her husband’s death in 1993, Mrs. Johnson became involved in the Condon Senior Organization.

She is survived by daughter Delene Durfey and son Duane Johnson, both of Condon;sister Aileen Baxter of Condon; four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Summit Springs Village, P.O. Box 687, Condon, OR, 97823.

Sweeney Mortuary of Condon is in charge of arrangements.