Douglas Johnson died peacefully, surrounded by family, on Sept. 2, 2015 from complications of lymphoma that had metastasized to his brain.

Doug was born Nov. 4, 1948 in Great Falls, Montana. He graduated from the University of Montana in Missoula in 1971.

Soon after graduating, he married Paula and they spent the next two years of their lives traveling and living in Australia and Asia. Their adventurous spirit together continued when they moved to Seattle in 1976 and lived aboard their sailboat for years before moving to Bainbridge Island.

Doug’s passion for the community of Bainbridge Island was strong and he served on the Bainbridge Island School Board and was a fire commissioner for the Bainbridge Island Fire Department.

Doug took his family on many amazing experiences aboard all type of boats throughout his life, even until the end where he was living in Ketchikan with Paula aboard the LaRose, a 44-foot ketch.

He worked for more than 30 years in the maritime industry and felt very fortunate to have enjoyed the last five years of his career working alongside an amazing boss and friend, Randy Johnson, as CFO at Alaska Ship & Drydock and Tyler Rental in Southeast Alaska. He loved the wild that Alaska provided and his time spent there was a dream fulfilled.

He fought a fierce battle against cancer and was able to fight long enough to meet his granddaughter and spend time with those he loved.

He is survived by his wife, Paula; daughter Sunni Liv Johnson Gibbons (Brett); son Bernt Bjarne Johnson (Alexa); and three wonderful grandchildren Gunnar Douglas Gibbons (4), Bridger Gregory Gibbons (18 months) and Romy Kay Johnson (2 months). He is also survived by his brother W. Bjarne Johnson and sister Janice Johnson Alltucker, as well as his Norwegian foreign exchange brother Bengt Lie Hansen.

The family thanks those who were with him through this fight; it brought him great joy knowing so many cared and sent their support. Doug’s legacy is a life filled with positivity and a joy for adventure and we know these gifts will live on in his children and grandchildren, as well as all of those that knew him.

As Doug was a strong supporter of conservation efforts on Bainbridge Island, in lieu of flowers, please send your donations in his name to the Bainbridge Island Land Trust.