Wayne Johnson

Wayne L. Johnson, long-time resident of Eugene, Oregon went to be with his Lord on July 17, 2025 at the age of 96.

Wayne was born September 17, 1928, in Inglewood, California, to Loren Wesley Johnson and Naomi Marie Johnson. He married Carolyn Joyce Woodruff, August 29, 1963, the love of his life. He attended Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho, graduating in 1949 with a B.A. in Business. He served both in the Marine Corps and U.S. Army during the Korean War, being discharged as a Captain. After his discharge, he moved to Eugene in 1954.

During his many years in Eugene, Wayne owned many businesses, was a builder-developer, building over 1,800 apartment units, many homes, restaurants, and several small “strip” malls. He and Carolyn had the privilege of funding and helping build a small church in Mexico. Wayne still worked as a mortgage broker until 2015, although it was through great difficulty after his major stroke in February of 2013.

Wayne made friends easily. There is a saying, “God is not through with me yet” and Wayne was a living example. In 1956 he was rear-ended during the construction of the new I-5 Freeway, the driver doing about 50 mph. In 1957 he was flying a rented airplane to Madras, Oregon, and upon landing the left landing gear tore off rolling the plane three times. He and his passenger barely had a scratch. Then, in recent years while traveling to Bend, he was hit head-on by another car sliding on ice, involving 2other cars. He had a broken nose, ribs and cut on his leg. His passenger suffered a broken back. He gives God the glory for his protection.

Wayne and Carolyn loved the out-of-doors, deer and elk hunting, mining for gold with Carolyn’s parents, snow and water skiing, rafting many rivers, including the Colorado in his own raft, and boating for weeks in the San Juan Islands with friends. He loved the opportunity to travel abroad, especially Africa and Israel. Wayne was very sports oriented. He played racquetball at the U of O every week with his buddy, Norval Ritchy, against the students, always winning, even at the age of 84. Tennis was another game he loved, and he and Carolyn were on the tennis teams at the resort they visited in thewinter. Wayne had to give all of that up after his debilitating stroke.

Wayne’s first love was his Savior, Jesus Christ, then his family, church and friends. He loved life, enjoyed joking with people, never knowing a stranger. He was always willing to lend to anyone, anything he owned.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Wes and daughter Deborah. He is survived by his wife Carolyn, sister, Patricia Pratt, son, Jeffrey and wife Paula, daughter Shelley and husband Bill, their children Pamela, David, Rebecca, Loretta and son Gregory and wife Tamara and daughter, Sophie as well as 7 great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 23 at 11:00 AM at Westside Baptist Church,

1375 Irving Road, Eugene, Oregon. A luncheon will follow the service.