By Lexi Bainas
COWICHAN VALLEY, BC — Jim Johnson, who, with wife Sheila, had been a stalwart of the Valley's choral music scene for decades, died Friday, Sept. 14. He was 89. Although he was born in St. Louis, MO on Nov. 26, 1922, he's been part of the fibre of the Cowichan scene since arriving here more than 40 years ago.
He is survived by his wife Sheila, his son Jeff in Comox, and his sister Juanita and numerous nieces and nephews in the U.S., but a legion of friends across the Valley will miss him tremendously as a charismatic teacher, singer and choir director.
As a singer he performed all over North America and also in Europe, even hosting a TV show on CBC in the 1960s. Johnson's teaching career saw him direct award-winning choirs in high schools in Prince George, Nanaimo, Lake Cowichan, Brentwood College, Shawnigan Lake School, and, just before retiring in 1988, at Cowichan Secondary School. A real choral music enthusiast, Johnson also founded a series of successful community choirs.
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