Clifford Paul Johnson

Cliff loved coffee, wine, cooking, reading, travelling, and collecting stuff. Lots of stuff. If you ever needed a suitcase, or a coffee pot, or bedding, or a camp cot, or mosquito netting, or a belt sander, or a level, or just about anything else, Cliff would likely have it in the “Johnson Outfitters” in his basement. All items came stocked in multiple sizes and colours! Whatever you required was yours for as long as you needed. More than once, he left his full camp set up and gave the tents to the family at the next site who needed the gear more than he did.

Stuff was not all that Cliff collected.

Coming from humble beginnings and growing up in Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington, Cliff decided that a profession was going to be his ticket out of poverty. So, off he went to university, collecting degrees in Finance and Psychology at the University of Oregon, a JD in Tax Law from Northwestern School of Law, Lewis and Clark College, and, later in life, a Master of Laws (LLM) from The University of Melbourne in Australia. His Aunt Thelma and Uncle Gordon Carpenter of Portland, Oregon were his role models and inspired him to pursue higher education and to travel.

Finding the practice of law to be “less than salubrious”, he migrated to Australia late in the 1980s and collected a variety of corporate experiences in food manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and agribusiness, which he used to build a niche executive search firm serving the global food and pharmaceutical industries. In 1989, he became a father to Clifford Paul Johnson, Jr., born in Sydney, Australia.

In 1999, he met Lorna Calder, asking her to marry him on New Year’s Eve of Y2K in New Zealand. They were married on Canada Day, July 1, 2000, in Sydney, Australia, whereby Cliff collected a mother-in-law, 3 sisters-in law and a brother-in-law. Always enamored with the latest technology, Cliff arranged for his mates to live-stream the wedding!

Cliff and Lorna moved back to North America in 2011, first to Freeport, Maine, then to Toronto, and finally to Victoria, B.C. Along the way he collected more friends and more memories as an active member of the Rotary Club of Freeport Maine, Rotary Club of Toronto, and Rotary Club of Victoria-Harbourside. Cliff was Chair of the Fellowship and Entertainment Committee and changed the name to the FnE Committee, to the chagrin of some Toronto Rotarians!

For a man with such a varied life story, Cliff really liked his routines. It was best not to disturb him at 6 PM, when he was in his man cave reading or watching downloaded shows on his iPad while sipping a glass of Australian Shiraz. And, certainly, don’t even think about inviting him out on a Saturday night, which was sacred: Black Russians and Pizza Night at home with his wife, Lorna. Every evening, he and Lorna would watch the Nightly News with Lester Holt and recite along with Lester the words, “Please take care of yourself and each other,” followed by a kiss.

A few years ago, Cliff found his biological mother via the 23andMe genetic testing and ancestry service, and collected a new Mum, a half-brother and three half-sisters, all living in California. He had been developing relationships and collecting memories with them ever since.

In October last year, Cliff was diagnosed with a very non-routine, aggressive, metastatic prostate cancer, which had spread to his liver and spine. As he had collected friends from all points of the globe, he let them know about the challenges ahead via Facebook. He also quickly made friends with the staff of the James Bay Urgent & Primary Care Centre, where he was a “Frequent Flyer.” He and Lorna spent the Christmas holidays visiting with neighbours, friends, and their nephew, Ryan from Virginia, holding hands, and watching Hallmark Christmas movies that had been filmed in Victoria, B.C. Cliff passed away at home on the morning of Saturday, January 14, 2023 with Lorna by his side.

Cliff is preceded in death by his adoptive parents, Emma and Austin Johnson, and his biological father, Gary Bucsis. He leaves behind his wife, Lorna Jane Johnson (nee Calder); his son, Clifford Paul Johnson Jr.; his biological mother, Diane Daigle; four half-siblings, Jason Tong, Erin Tong, Katharine Graczyk , and Jennifer Bucsis Styduhar; and a host of loving relatives and friends.

The Celebration of Life for Clifford Paul Johnson (Cliff) will be held at our home at 520 Niagara Street, Victoria, B.C. Canada, V8V 1H5, on Saturday, February 4, 2023, at 2 PM Pacific Time. Doors open at 1:30 PM. Happy, eclectic, and festive attire is encouraged to honour Cliff. RSVPs are much appreciated via the Tribute and Events section of this website.

The celebration will also be live-streamed: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85473407707 . The Live stream Zoom link will open at 1:30 PM. RSVP’s and the webcast link can be found on the Tribute and Events section of this website.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the B.C. Cancer Foundation , or a charity of your choice. And if you are able, raise a toast to Cliff with a glass of Australian Shiraz!