Mike Johnson, a long time resident of Tirril, died peacefully at his home, Brookside, after a lengthy illness, on 13th February, aged 78.
Mike was born at Chestnut Farm, at Crosby Garrett, near Kirkby Stephen, the oldest of five children of Dorothy Johnson.
He lived his early years in Maulds Meaburn and attended school in Shap. By his teens Mike had found farm work locally, starting a career as a farm labourer which continued until he retired in his 60s.
Aged 21, Mike married 19-year-old Jean Clark, from Tirril, in 1966 and the village became their home for nearly 60 years. The couple met at the Alhambra Cinema in Penrith when Mike and his companions sat near Jean and her friends.
Mike worked most of his adult life at Thorpe Farm and Jean was a baker at the former Birketts bakery in Penrith. They had three children — Gary, Sue and Steven. After working at Thorpe for Ken Tuer, Mike went on to work at Park Foot for Jimmy Allen and then latterly for Graham and Tina Lund at Cliburn.
A talented mechanic and joiner, Mike could turn his hand to any repair job and was often found tinkering and welding in his garden shed on his latest project, whether it was a new plant pot or a piece of furniture.
He regularly helped family members with DIY jobs and single-handedly built his house extension. He is also remembered fondly for his creations such as an inventive see-saw which also spun round and kept his young family engaged for many hours.
When son Gary joined the BMX team Tirril Tigers, Mike crafted a special circular ramp, much to the delight of the youngsters. After his retirement, he kept busy and could always be depended upon to use his repair skills to help neighbours.
A former beekeeper until he was badly stung and suffered anaphylactic shock, he reacted to the incident with great nonchalance. Indeed, he treated any mishap with unflappable calm, including the occasion in his 50s when a large fertiliser spreader fell on to his hand, crushing it. Onlookers recalled watching as he wandered off to have the fingers remodelled with barely a squint of the eye and the family often joked that he was as hard as nails.
The fingers remained crooked for the rest of his life but that did not deter Mike from indulging in his passion for cars. As a young man he refurbished an Escort MK1 and enjoyed rally driving for a time. A Grand Prix fanatic, he never missed watching the races on television. A visit to Silverstone was a special highlight and he regularly visited local classic car events.
Later in life, Mike was an enthusiastic member of the Mini Owners’ Club and was repairing a beloved 1960s Mini Riley which he nicknamed Henry. Even as he underwent chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma last year, he replaced the engine and gearbox.
Mike is survived by his wife Jean; siblings Ken, Josey, Peter, Paul and Teresa; sons Gary and Steven; daughter Sue; and grandchildren Thomas, Gemma, Louie and Harley.
Richardsons Funeral Directors will oversee the funeral on Friday, 28th February, at St Michael’s Church, Barton, at 11am. Local members of the Mini Owners’ Club are planning to complete the car’s restoration and have it driven in the funeral cortege as a tribute to their much-missed friend.
