Shep Johnson

Posted on: Aug 24, 2023 at 1:33 AM

Posted on: Aug 24, 2020 at 1:33 AM

Happy birthday, Shep! I hope
you had a great day! Best, “A New Californian”

PS Maybe not for long—way, way too hot!”

Posted on: Aug 24, 2019 at 1:33 AM

Posted on: Aug 24, 2018 at 8:51 AM

Well, I didn't realize that we were born only three days apart. My birthday is Aug. 27th!

They say "Virgos favorite signs are other Virgos and Capricorns. Since we have been friends (most of the time) for a long time, I think that might be true Let me know how your new house is coming along and new address.

I hope you have a great birthday and year to come and lots of fun with your family, especially Monte, Jr!

Happy birthday, Shep. I hope you had a fabulous day!!!

Posted on: Aug 25, 2016 at 8:19 AM

Well, I had the best on intentions and thought surely I would not forget your birthday because I realized that you are only three days older than me. I never realized that! So, I hope you will accept this sincere wish that your birthday was great and this next year will be wonderful! I am really looking forward to seeing you on the 24th! Again, happy, happy belated birthday! XOXO, Cindy

Posted on: Aug 24, 2016 at 1:33 AM

Posted on: Sep 19, 2015 at 8:19 AM

Posted on: Aug 24, 2015 at 1:35 AM

When I think about Terry it’s in little vignettes spanning 66 years.  I think about the boys we were at their house in Calistoga, running wild in the woods, swimming in the pool, finding arrowheads and learning to drive.  I think about Terry in their ‘67 Austin Mini Moke that I still drive and I think about his escaping to Calistoga when he’d had enough partying and fun in Piedmont.  Although we went to different elementary schools, our paths crossed on weekends in Calistoga and at Sunday School.  By high school we were back in the routine of having fun , getting in trouble together, just being boys.  I remember so clearly the night my family had dinner at the Farnsworth’s. Mr. Farnsworth reluctantly served us wine and then Terry and I left to go to a party.  They cautioned us, as usual, to have fun and be careful.  We had the fun part handled.  Terry backed out of the driveway in his dad’s new car and hit the retaining wall scratching the entire left side of the car.  We went to the party anyway and in typical Terry fashion he didn’t let the damage dampen his spirits.  At Berkeley, Terry and I lived together for awhile and later also at the UC alumni camp in Pinecrest.  After college we worked together in a restaurant the city. He was the best man at my wedding to my first wife, Lindy.  We were each other’s oldest friend and although our friendship had its highs and lows over the years, at the end I realized some things about Terry.  He was deep.  He was was private.  But, most of all, he was sensitive and caring.  It’s taken me awhile to synthesize my old images of Terry the partier with the deeper more sensitive Terry but it fits.  Looking back I see there were signs of that side in high school.  I spoke to Terry a few days before he died, even though he was seriously ill, he was upbeat and positive and I learned later that he had planned his own memorial service.  He was a good friend and I’ll miss him.      

I first got to know Mitch when came to Wildwood from a school in Hawaii.  I liked Mitch.  He was mechanical and had the most interesting bicycle I’d ever seen.  The seat was five feet off the ground and you steered it with a car steering wheel.  Mitch and his brothers built it.  He was mechanical and at 10 he was the first kid I knew who liked machinery as much as I did.  Mitch was also the best bongo drum player I’d ever heard and adding to his mystique he never wore shoes.  I was fascinated and we became good friends.   Mitch lived down the street from Bruce Burroughs and John Appleby and the four of us and others played Beckon Beckon tearing up backyards. 

In junior high, Mitch moved to the Philippines and then returned to join us at Piedmont High. While in high school, Mitch was on the track and football teams.  He was  fun loving and very creative.  After Piedmont High he moved to Palo Alto with his parents.  As the Vietnam war escalated, Mitch was very concerned about the draft and dropped out of school.  Mitch was into the music and motorcycles. He tragically died in 1969.