Obituary of Keith Johnson

Keith Noble Johnson, 84, passed away Sunday October 23, 2016 in Anchorage, Alaska with his wife and family by his side. He was born in Hugo, Colorado on October 2, 1932, the fifth of ten children. After graduating high school in 1950, he enlisted in the Army in 1952 serving in the Korean War. He completed his degree in Education at Colorado State College in 1958. In 1957 he married Reta Orrell, with whom he attended high school, and they remained happily married for 58 years. Keith fulfilled his lifelong dream to move to Alaska to hunt in 1961, and never left. He taught shop and math at Central, Chugiak, and Bartlett until he retired in 1977. Keith started the first high school wrestling program at Anchorage High School, and then successfully coached wrestling at Chugiak for many years. Keith attained his Registered Guide License in 1962 (license #35 in the state) and his pilot’s license in 1965. He was an excellent bush pilot and accumulated over 20,000 hours flying bush planes. He worked as a guide on weekends and breaks from teaching until he retired from teaching, building a highly respected reputation of ethical hunting as a Master Guide and Outfitter. In 1980 Keith purchased Wildman Lake Lodge on the Alaska Peninsula which he operated until 1997. He and his family operated a commercial set net fish site every summer in Kenai from 1968 until 2008. Keith was an avid hunter, attaining the World Slam of Sheep (14 species) and hunting all over the world. Keith received the Alaska Professional Hunters Association Lifetime Achievement Award and was named Safari Club International Outstanding Professional Hunter of the Year. He is a published author with his bear hunting book, “Unpredictable Giants.” Keith is survived by his wife Reta, their children and (spouses), Robert Johnson (Allison), Jerry Johnson (Danette), Linda Johnson (Gary Spraker), and Joni Kiser (Dave), his 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild as well as his brother Jerry Johnson, and sister Annie Jean Fuller.