Harold, or as we know him, Ray, in his quest for story lived many, many lives during his 64 years. He was born in Prince Albert, SK on August 30th, 1957 and was raised in Molanosa, a small mixed community in northern Saskatchewan. As the third youngest of nine children, he was the first to be born in a hospital. Harold was born to his Cree mother, Mary (Bradfield) Johnson and Swedish father, Hildor Johnson. It was in Molanosa where Harold learned how to live on the land. Following the death of his father, the family relocated to La Ronge, SK. Throughout his life journey, Harold moved to many other places to pursue education and employment and in his own words “it’s been a glorious ride.”

Harold joined the Navy at age 17 and worked as a lumberjack, a packsack miner and heavy equipment operator. He graduated from the University of Saskatchewan’s law school and achieved a Master’s degree from Harvard University. He worked as a labour lawyer and ultimately returned to live in Molanosa on his family’s traditional trapline where he trapped, hunted and fished with his wife Joan. Together, they opened a private law office in La Ronge before Harold became a Crown Prosecutor. Frustrated with the harms caused by alcohol misuse, Harold conceived and was the inspiration and face behind the Northern Alcohol Strategy. Harold spend the last two years living on the west coast, on Gabriola Island, British Columbia with his beloved wife, Joan.

Harold became a well-known, acclaimed, and award-winning author. He had seven works of fiction and four works of non-fiction published. He was well-known for his book, Firewater How Alcohol is Killing My People (and yours), and for the governor-general nominated book, Peace and Good Order. Harold inspired people to think and believe they had the ability to change their stories. He has two non-fiction books in the editing process that will be published in 2022-23, one of which is a culmination of his lifetime work, The Power of Story.

Harold passed away peacefully on February 9th, 2022 in Mount Forest, Ontario surrounded by the comfort and love of his family. Shortly before his death, Harold did a wonderful interview with CBC’s Shelagh Rogers on what it was like facing death from lung cancer. He said he had no sadness, no regrets and was at a level of peace stating he had done “pretty damn good for an old trapper.” He claimed the most important thing in life is, “to be, right now.”

He is reunited with his mother and father (Mary and Hildor Johnson), his brothers Gary Johnson, Clifford Johnson, Clarence Johnson, and Richard Johnson and his sisters Dorothy Hoffman and Jean Bougie.

He leaves behind his wife Joan Johnson, his children Mike Campbell (Vanessa), Harmony Johnson-Harder (Frank), Ray Johnson (Jennie), Anangons Johnson-Owl (Dylan), Memegwans Johnson-Owl (Simar), Tanya Jackson, Tasha Grafos (John Mike), Sabrina Holman, his grandchildren Elizabeth Campbell, Hayden Johnson-Harder, Nevaeh Campbell, Geneva Harder-Johnson, Lucianna Jackson, Gus Grafos, Ethan Beeney and Patrick Harder. His brothers Stan (Fran) Johnson, James (Deb) Johnson and Don (Karen) Johnson. Special Sister Sherry-Anne Johnson and 30 nieces and nephews and numerous great-nieces and nephews and his good friend and dog Buddy.

We are grateful his voice lives with us through his many books, interviews, videos and in the memories of so many people he touched and through his words, “everything is story.” We honour and celebrate the life of a brilliant, remarkable human being and his encouragement to all of us to be anything we want, we have the power to create and change our story.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Kikinahk Friendship Centre In La Ronge, Saskatchewan on May 27, 2022 at 4:00 pm.

• Date : 2022-02-09