Obituaries
Bryan Samuel Johnson
August 10, 1948 - December 18, 2025
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Obituary For Bryan Samuel Johnson
Bryan Samuel Johnson, resident of Spirit River, Alberta, passed away peacefully surrounded by the people he loved in Grande Prairie, Alberta, on December 18, 2025, at the age of 77.
Bryan was born on August 10, 1948, in Grande Prairie. He was the fourth son of Wally and Billie Johnson in a family that grew to include 15 children, calling the White Mountain area home. He went to school in Spirit River, but left school early to begin a long life of hard work. In the late 1960s, he went to work for who would become his future father-in-law, Bill Sandul, on his farm north of Rycroft. Here he met his beautiful wife, Karen. Bryan started his first career driving his Kenworth leased to Premay Equipment Ltd. He made a multitude of trips to Fort McMurray in the early ‘70s, as the oilsands began to flourish. In 1978 he moved to Spirit River, where he started his inaugural company, Diamond J Oilfield Enterprise Ltd. He made this community his home for the next 50 years. Bryan and Karen welcomed their daughter, Shylah, in 1980, followed by their son, Colby, in 1983. Over these years, he was involved in many aspects of the oilfield industry, including rig moving and pipelining, but focusing on oilfield construction. Bryan was the owner of two other companies involved with oilfield construction in Northern Alberta.
Bryan was full of energy and never learned to sit still and relax—always a hard-working man. He proved to be a mentor to many young men over the years, who often say that he has had a huge impact on their careers. Bryan was a people person who was known for his networking skills. He had a great sense of humor and was the life of the party—he could have an entire room in tears from laughing at his crazy stories. He had a deep love for his family and a very generous spirit. Bryan loved animals and was willing to spend whatever it took to keep them alive and healthy. Bryan was a creative handyman who could build a deck, fix a truck, or do pretty well anything that needed doing. His grandchildren often had projects for him, fixing toys or building a playhouse or structure. Bryan was a very generous, community-minded businessman who supported his community with love. As his dementia progressed, he felt the love and support of many who gave him rides and had coffee with him. Fortunately, he was able to remain at home until the last 3 months.
Over the years, Bryan had a variety of interests and hobbies. He loved horses; they played a pivotal role in his life, and he has passed this love to his eldest granddaughter, Tayva. In later years, he was passionate about his involvement as a sponsor for chuckwagons, and for many summers, his plans from Grande Prairie Stompede onward were based on the Chuckwagon schedule. He made many lasting friends during this time. When he was young, Bryan enjoyed hunting and fishing and was known to tell more stories about fishing in Carp Lake than of trips to Hawaii. He was an avid hockey fan and loved to cheer on the Oilers, support the Spirit River Rangers, and, in later years, his grandchildren, Kaisley and Vanden. Arguably one of the best nights of his life was attending the NHL All-Star Banquet in 1989. When he became a father and grandfather, he enjoyed camping with his children and grandchildren. In later years he came to enjoy golfing and looked forward to the yearly trips to his timeshare in Palm Springs with lifelong friends, Pat and Vern, and Greg and Diane. In the early ‘80s, Bryan purchased his first jetboat, and in later years also enjoyed watching his raceboat. Being on the river with Bryan was always an adventure! Whether fighting a fire, pushing the boat off sandbars, or having unplanned sleepovers on the river, there was truly never a dull moment. When Bryan sold his last company, he purchased a Monaco motorhome, which he drove as if he were driving a Kenworth with a time constraint. Only a Tim Hortons or KFC may have warranted a quick pit stop.
He will be sadly missed by his wife of 51 years, Karen; daughter Shylah (Darcy); son Colby (Amanda); and grandchildren Tayva, Ayla, Kaisley, Kyra, Vanden and Mya. He was very close to his brother-in-law, Ross Sandul (Betty), who grew up with Bryan being like an older brother. Bryan will be mourned by his siblings, John (Georgie), Bob, Lynne, Floyd, Joy (Eric), Bonnie, Jo’Anne, David, Keith, Art, Leona, and Michael, as well as their families.
He was predeceased by his parents, Walton and Edith (Billie) Johnson; brothers Jim and Wayne; sister-in-law Brenda; father-in-law Bill Sandul; and his beloved mother-in-law, Phyllis-Ann Sandul.
Bryan’s funeral service will be held on Monday, December 29, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at the Rycroft Ag Society (11055 PTH, Rycroft, AB T0H 3A0). Interment to follow at the Greenway Cemetery. Following the interment, friends are invited to join the family for a luncheon back at the Ag Society.
Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada (https://alzheimer.ca/en).
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