Charley Johnson

Charley Johnson died on August 3, 2023 at his home in Hailey, Idaho in the loving embrace of his wife and children, with his dog at his side.

Charley was a child of the sea and the mountains, born on April 12, 1949 on Gravelly Lake in Tacoma, WA to parents Ann Demarest Hurley and David Morrison Johnson. His childhood was filled with adventures out hiking, camping, sailing, and skiing.

His love of the mountains carried him around the West. He graduated from Colorado Academy in 1968 where he was a member of the ski team and sang barbershop. He worked with the Crystal Mountain ski patrol and guided on Mount Rainier before landing in Sun Valley.

He married his “Rosebud,” Connie Nelson, in 1979. They settled in Hailey and raised two kids with creativity, patience, trust and humor. He and his kids adored each other. They found a piece of land off Quigley Rd., built a house Charley designed, and sank deep roots with a close-knit group of friends.

Charley was deeply driven to help people up until his last day. He was a member of the original Galena Nordic Ski Patrol, worked on the Wood River Ambulance as an advanced EMT, helped draft the first Blaine County Emergency Management Plan, and served as commander of Blaine County Search and Rescue. He was then hired for his favorite job of all: the Sun Valley Ski Patrol. There he spent more than 20 years with the men and women he so valued for their friendship, their expertise, and their dedication to the job.

Charley loved a challenge. He liked to build things, fix things, solve problems. From boats to bicycles, cars to computers, snowplows to sprinkler systems, tractors to toboggans, he would make them work. To entertain himself, he would create overly complicated solutions to simple problems, or simple solutions to complicated problems, depending on the situation.

Charley was never bored or boring. He read voraciously: history, theology, science fiction, the classics. Appreciated music; Van Morrison, Vivaldi, Irish buskers. He played guitar. Learned French. Wrote fantasy. Valued family heirlooms (and old junk). Drove an orange Volkswagen Squareback. Constructed a tow rope for the sledding hill behind the house. Built his grandchildren a boat. Would not be a fan of this tale expounding on his life and talents. “Keep it simple,” he’d say.

To say Charley had a passion for sailing would be an understatement. Undeterred by a lack of oceans in Idaho, he sailed in circles on Idaho’s mountain lakes with the Wood River Yacht Club, and journeyed frequently to Puget Sound and British Columbia. When the opportunities arose, he joined the crew for races in the Caribbean and one epic crossing of the Pacific Ocean. In a characteristic example of his commitment to emergency preparedness and his endless passion for learning, he taught himself celestial navigation. In 1998, the SV Malolo, a Cal 48 sailboat, became part of the family, a dream come true for Charley. His family and friends had many voyages and misadventures under Captain Charley’s steady hand and love of fun. He is now peacefully at anchor.

Desperately missing him are his beloved wife and best friend of 45 years, Connie, his son, Will, and his daughter, Emily, his son-in-love, Connor Hegarty, and his adoring grandchildren, June and North of Bellingham, WA. Also mourning Charley are his stepmom, Corrine Johnson of Richland, WA, his sisters, Hurley, Julie and Tracey, all of Ketchum, ID, as well as his nieces, nephews and godsons, who have lost a salty uncle. He was preceded in death by his younger brother, David, as well as many dear friends, and a fair few excellent dogs.

Charley loved his friends and cherished his family. He inspired love and exasperation in equal measure. He will be sorely missed and not forgotten. No amount of time with Charley would have been enough, though he gave us enough memories to last several lifetimes. If you count yourself as one lucky to have known Charley, please join us in celebrating his life on Sunday, September 24, at the Knight residence, 13 Quigley Rd. at 2 p.m. Bring stories.

In lieu of sending cookies, please send pictures, and consider a gift to Hospice of the Wood River Valley, an invaluable asset to this community. We will be forever grateful for their care and compassion.