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The following article is posted with permission of

the Editor of the Spring Valley Sun/Argus:

Spring Valley Fire Department honors Roy Johnson

Johnson's record boasts 52 years of faithful public service
By Kaye Bird
Sun Argus/Gateway Publishing
- May 13, 2009

Part I                Part II

 PART I

  SPRING VALLEY - When members of the Village Board decided to honor Roy Johnson on May 6, 2009, they did it right. They issued a formal Proclamation.

   It read in part, "WHEREAS, for 52 years Roy Johnson has been a hard-working member and leader of the Department as evidenced by the many important positions he has held and the countless assignments he has capably completed; and

   WHEREAS, he has committed his personal time and enery, during all hours of the day and night to the safety and welfare of the citizens of Spring Valley...

   NOW THEREFORE, I, Marsha Brunkhorst, President of the Village of Spring Valley, Pierce and St. Croix County, State of Wisconsin, do hereby proclaim that Friday, May 15, 2009, be known throughout the Villae of Spring Valley as a day to give special recognition to ROY JOHNSON and urge all citizens to congratulate Roy Johnson."

   Expressions of congratulations and appreciation for his service will, of course, begin before Friday and continue long after his special day is over.

   And the framed proclamation presented to Roy at the Village Board meeting will no doubt be proudly displayed in the Johnson home.

   Perhaps it will be hung in Roy's special corner in the dining room where one can find a framed certificate honoring him for 50 years of service to the Spring Valley Fire Department along witb a large picture of a fireman silhouetted against flames, and decorative plates depicting the bravery and dedication of America's firemen.

   Roy is proud of his service and deservedly so, but he is also honored to have had the opportunity to serve his community.

   That service began almost 53 years ago when Roy was just 20 years old. "I was working at Hannack and Hughes Pontiac. A fire broke out where Sneaker's now stands. I dashed across the street. The department was short handed, so I broke out a window, grabbed a hose and went to work."

   The fire department took note of Johnson's actions and wisely asked him to come on board.

   "We only had one truck at the time and about 15 firemen," he remembers. "When the fire whistle blew, it activated the home telephones of department members. If the whistle blew and your phone rang, you better go," he said.

   That system worked fine if the men happened to be home at the time of the fire, but not so fine if they weren't. A lot has changed. Today the department tries to keep a roster of 32, and these volunteers now have pagers. "Pagers were a huge improvement," said Johnson.

   Over the  years, Roy Johnson has fought a lot of fires. Some of those fires caused significant damage and some injuries. Madson's Lumber and Flooring Mill where Schmitt Timber now stands was one of those fires. "They lost the flooring mill in that fire," he said.

   Another was the Cady Cheese fire. "It was a huge loss; they lost a lot of cheese" he remembers.

   Sacred Heart Catholic Church. "We were very fortunate to get that fire out before there was structural damage," Johnson said. And then there was the fire at the fire department.

   In 1975 the department moved from McKay Street to the former location of Gavic Car Dealership. "A couple of them (firemen) were replenishing the trucks after coming back from a fire. An inexperienced fireman got some gas in the water tank of the truck The furnace ignited the gas fumes, and we lost our only fire truck."

   Of course it wasn't funny at the time, but people did find it ironic that there was a fire at the fire department. "A lot of people in the area got a big laugh out of that," recalled Johnson. In 1976 the current building which now houses the fire department was completed.

   Johnson has fought hundreds of fires, and there were varying degrees of damage. In the vast majority of these fires, he cannot remember any firemen being seriously hurt, but there were some minor injuries; one of those occurred at Honey Crest Farms. "It was a barn fire, and we were using a pitch fork to get the hay out. I stuck one of the men in the hand," he recalled adding, "I wasn't very proud of that."

   Sadly, over Johnson's 52 years with the department, there were a total of four fatalities. These fires break the hearts of firemen; these fires linger in their minds. The outcome of these fires is difficult to accept.

   Johnson could have walked from his home on East Eau Galle Road to one of the most memorable fires in Spring Valley. "St. John's Church was completely engulfed by the time we got there. We had Elmwood come up to help us."

   He continued, "I remember the steeple was falling. I was the safety officer at the time. I said, 'Watch that steeple, it's going to come down.' It missed some firemen by only four to five feet."

   Johnson has held a couple different volunteer positions over the years. In his position as safety officer, he walked around the fire, "checking and watching out for other fire fighters. I also served as assistant chief for several years," he said.

  Looking back on his years as a volunteer fireman, Johnson couldn't be prouder of the department of which he was once a member. "Since 1975 we have replaced and added equipment. We are excellently equipped, and all firemen are well trained today," he said.

   Fifty-three years ago, the only training firemen received was "on the job" training. Today they go through training sessions. "An instructor from Chippewa Valleu Technical College in Eau Claire comes down and conducts classes. All firemen have to complete Firemanship I and II," said Johnson.

   Two years ago, Roy Johnson was recognized for 50 years of service to the Spring Valley Fire Department. On Friday, May 15, Roy Johnson will once again be honored by the men who served with him over the years. "I told them they didn't have to do this again," said Roy.

   Of course it isn't a matter of "having to." It's a matter of "wanting to;" the department wants to recognize a man who made such a generous contribution to his community for such a long time.


A Proclamation

   WHEREAS, ROY JOHNSON has served with the Spring Valley Volunteer Fire Department since 1956 and

   WHEREAS, for 52 years ROY JOHNSON has been a hard-working member and leader of the Department as evidenced by the many important positions he has held and the countless assignments he has capably completed; and

   WHEREAS, he has committed his personal time and energy, during all hours of the day and night, to the safety and welfare of the citizens of Spring Valley and

   WHEREAS, the Spring Valley Volunteer Fire Department will honor ROY JOHNSON for his years of exemplary service at the Department's Appreciation Cookout on May 15, 2009

   NOW THEREFORE, I, Marsha Brunkhorst, President of the Village of Spring Valley, Pierce and St. Croix County, State of Wisconsin, do hereby proclaim that Friday, May 15, 2009 be known throughout the Village of Spring Valley as a day to give special recognition to ROY JOHNSON and urge all citizens to congratulate Roy Johnson for his many years of continuous dedicated service to the citizens of Spring Valley and express sincere appreciation for his generous contribution to our community.

   IN TESTOMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Village of Spring Valley to be affixed. Done at the Village of Spring Valley this the sixth day of May in the year two thousand nine.

Marsha Brunkhorst, President

Rta Goveronski, Administrator


Roy Johnson; a faithful public servant  

By Kaye Bird
Sun Argus/Gateway Publishing - May 13, 2009



PART II -

   They come from all walks of life, these volunteer firemen. When their pagers go off they drop what theyÕre doing whether they are at home or at work.
    For retired fireman, Roy Johnson, that meant putting aside the tools of his trade, those of a journeyman plasterer, and heading out the door. It was a career that spanned almost 50 years.
    ÒMy first job was at the Durand High School,Ó he recalled. ÒThat was in 1956Ó. Throughout his career he plastered walls, and installed and smoothed out the seams in drywall. ÒWe also worked with stucco,Ó he said. ÒWe worked in commercial buildings, schools, churches, offices, and hundreds of homes.Ó
    I worked for different contractors, but I learned the trade from Everett P. Brown,Ó remembers Johnson. ÒI worked for him for almost 20 years.Ó
    His profession took him to various locations around the area. One of those locations was the Pantages Theatre on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis.
    ÒIn 2001 I worked for eight months restoring all the ornamental plaster in this theatre.Ó He said. The theatre was built in 1916. At the time Johnson was working for Custom Drywall in St. Paul. ÒOur job was to restore the theatre back to the way it looked originally.Ó And where did he learn to restore ornamental plaster? ÒI learned it over the years on the job,Ó he said.
    Roy is particularly proud of the work he did at the Pantages, so proud, in fact, that he autographed it. ÒI left my initials on the top of one of the columns next to the stage,Ó he said with a smile.
    Roy Johnson was born and raised on a dairy farm just south of Summit Cheese Factory on highway 128; he had five siblings. Today he is the only surviving member of the family.
    He married Joann in 1955; the couple was married in the Wilson Lutheran Church, but they are members of Gilman Lutheran Church where Joann has been a lifelong member.
    Together they raised five children. Today that family has expanded to include 15 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. ÒNumber five is on the way,Ó said Roy.
    Those children obviously visit grandpa and grandma often. Looking around the house, one can see toys, games and even a package of diapers. And then there is the Packer memorabilia.
    The Johnsons are true Packer fans and are among the fortunate few who hold season tickets. ÒWe have 12 season tickets. WeÕre always assured of getting tickets. We renew them every year,Ó he said. Are they good tickets? ÒThere are no bad tickets in that stadium,Ó Roy said.
    The Johnsons are also loyal Spring Valley Cardinal fans. ÒWe go to all the home basketball and football games,Ó he said adding, ÒWe used to go to all the away games alsoÓ.
    Johnson retired from his career as a journeyman plasterer in 2005, four years later, he retired from his second career Ð that of a volunteer fireman for the Spring Valley Fire Department.
    Today, Roy Johnson, husband, father of five, grandfather of 15, and great grandfather of 4 1Ú2, is enjoying a quieter life. He volunteers at church, does yard work, and grows vegetables in a large garden at his sonÕs place.
    May 15, 2009, was proclaimed by the Village of Spring Valley as a day to honor Roy Johnson. How many of us have our own day? ItÕs an honor that speaks volumes about a man who served his community in so many ways.

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