Waino William “Wayne” Johnson died at his home in Coupeville on March 15, 2015, at the age of 93, surrounded by his family. Wayne was born Aug. 3, 1921, in Brocket, N.D., to Gustav and Aili Johnson and was raised on the family farm. When Wayne was 9 years old, his father died suddenly, and Wayne was forced to go to work to support the family.

He attended college for a time in North Dakota but was forced to quit because of family hardship.

Waino moved to Southern California and was hired to work in an airplane manufacturing plant building planes for the war effort. He decided to go ice skating one day and met a young lady who was spending most of her time sitting on the ice and took pity on her.

He showed her how to skate and a friendship developed, which blossomed into love, and on May 20, 1944, Wayne and Concetta Caringella were married in Pasadena, Calif.

Just two short months later, on July 27, 1944, Wayne was drafted into the U.S. Army. At first duty station he saw action at the Battle of Okinawa. Wayne was critically injured in the battle with a bullet in his spine and left for dead. When he was discovered alive, he was eventually evacuated back to the U.S. and discharged from service. For his courage in combat and his injuries, he was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal for Valor.

Wayne decided to return to school under the GI Bill, attending Pasadena Community College and Santa Barbara State College.

He received his bachelor’s and master’s Degrees and began a 30-year career as a teacher.

He was hired by the Gilroy School District at Brownell School as a home room and woodshop teacher for the seventh and eighth grade, a career he thoroughly enjoyed.

Wayne retired at the age of 58, and he and Connie traveled, looking for a place to retire. They visited friends on Whidbey Island and decided Coupeville was their retirement paradise.

Thirty years later, they still agreed this was home. Wayne continued his love of woodworking and also was an avid gardener. He was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans and a member of the Whidbey Island Chapter.

Wayne is survived by his wife, Connie, of nearly 71 years; one daughter, Jill Bishop, and husband, Dan; one son, Paul Johnson, and wife, Kathy; two grandchildren, Jason Johnson and Katie Faias; and three great-grandchildren, Justin, Marley and Haiden, all of Beaverton, Ore. He is also survived by his brother, Nestor, of Missoula, Mont., and his sisters, Lydia Ford, of Minneapolis, Sadie West, of Los Angeles, and Vienna Tripp, of Lolo, Mont. He was preceded in death by siblings Leo and Arve of Haines, Alaska.

Memorial services for Waino Johnson will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 11, at the Coupeville Methodist Church with the Rev. Jin Ming Ma officiating. Private interment will follow at a later date at Sunnyside Cemetery, Coupeville.

Arrangements are entrusted to Wallin Funeral Home and Cremation, LLC, Oak Harbor.

To share memories and condolences, please visit Waino’s page in the Book of Memories on the funeral home website at www.wallinfuneralhome.com