Boyce Kendall Johnson - passed August 18, 2017

Kelvin, Boyce and his cousin, Catherine

Boyce passed away this week.

I don't know exactly how old he was.

I think he was born in the late 1950's.

He was part of a large extended family.

I think he had 42 first cousins just on the Johnson side.

I got to know him when I married into the family and I think he was about three when I went to watch him while his mom and dad went to Banff for a summer symposium.

He was little, still in a high chair.  He needed to be hand fed still.  I got to know him well.  At least the baby Boyce.

Over the years I would tell him that I was his favourite aunt.  I told him that enough times that he began to believe it.

At least he told me so.

Over the years I  used to send a mimeographed copy of my family letter monthly, maybe even oftener to my own siblings.  I would always send a copy to Boyce, for he seemed to either read it, or know that I was trying to send him my own family news.  I tried to include a note somehow, telling him he was my favourite nephew.

My most vivid memory of an interaction with him was when he was older, but still living at home.  Kelvin and I went to visit Grant and Elmoyne but they weren't home.  Only Boyce was there.  I hadn't come bearing gifts, but I wanted to leave one, so I told him that I was going to give him a whole bag of oranges that I had just purchased for the trip.  He said his mom wouldn't let him have a whole bag.  I told him, then lets hide them in a drawer in your room and you can eat them when you want to.  He said that wouldn't work for Elmoyne would find the orange peelings in the garbage in his room.  I told him then he should take the peelings right out to the garbage in the alley and throw them there after he had eaten each one.  He was okay with that and so was I.  Kelvin and I continued on our trip home.

Months later I was with Grant and Elmoyne again.  I told her the story of how hard it was to give Boyce a bag of oranges.  I told her every detail, right down to the deal of getting those peelings out to the garbage in the alley.

She smiled and said, I wondered why one of my neighbours was putting their orange peelings in my garbage can.

What I take from this story is that I wasn't smart enough to show him how to put his contraband orange peelings in the neighbour's garbage.

The funeral will be held in Lethbridge Sept 1 at 11 am at the Stake Centre (the one that is on Scenic Drive, close to the Enmax Centre).

There will be no viewing.

The interment will be at the Cardston Cemetary at 4 pm.

Please stay for lunch with the family when the funeral is finished.  There will be lots of food.  If it is at all possible for you, please stay for a couple of hours and visit with family and friends.

Arta