Tributes

Pops was a personality to be reckoned with. Miles James Johnson, left this earth to join his mother (Eva Helena Faske), father (Miles Lucas Johnson), sister (Margaret Louise) and brother in law (George Stanley Tylus, Jr) in heaven. Born in Trenton New Jersey on June 16, 1928, he lived there until he joined the Air Force in 1950, just before the draft. He served 21 years in the Air Force, retiring as Master Sergeant in 1971 to raise his children in his home country. Pops travelled to many places in his early years in the military, including Japan, Korea, Germany and Spain. In the Air Force Base of Zaragoza, Spain he met the love of his life, Maria Gloria Garcia Garcia, in 1958. Gloria was working at the BX with her best friend, Conchita, where they hoped to hone their English. Pops bought an Omega wrist watch from her then, which he continued to wear until his last day. He wooed and wowed her American style, sending dozens of yellow roses with a single red one to represent his love. They married at Nuestra Senora del Perpetuo Socorro in Zaragoza on May 14, 1960. Pops and his lovely new wife moved to Westover AFB Massachusetts that October where they gave birth to Gloria Maria and Maria Rosario. Two years later, they moved to Offut AFB Nebraska, where their sons John Francis and Joseph Miles were born. In 1967 the whole family moved back to Spain, where Pops was stationed in Torrejon, Madrid. We lived four glorious years there amongst our beloved Spanish family. He considered his years in Spain the very best of his life. I suspect he is now with his brothers Angel, Pepe, and Luis...as well as George…chewing on cigars and sipping cognac. In 1971 he moved his family to Texas, where he would live the rest of his years. He loved photography and used this talent in the Air Force Intelligence, as well as in his post-military civil service job with Audie L Murphy VA Hospital as their medical photographer. He understood every part of the magic of photography. He worked at the VA until his retirement in 1992. Pops was also expert in the workings of the combustion engine, electricity, clock mechanics, etc. He was exceptionally intelligent, learning and truly understanding all of this on his own. Pops appreciated the importance of tools and the appropriate use of the right one for any given task. Until his last day he could ask you for the tool he needed by its proper name, explain its purpose, and tell you exactly where to find it in his workbench area. Pops took excellent care of all of his things, always cleaning his tools before stowing them in their proper location. Many of his tools belonged to his father, even now in perfect condition. Pops still has our 1965 blue-green Ford Country Sedan station wagon; this very day it looks like it was just driven off of the new car lot. Pops loved working with his hands, whether woodworking, maintaining the car engines and lawn equipment, or gardening his piece of turf. Even as he loved these things, his certain frustration (he was famous for his short and explosive fuse) would give rise to a flurry of the most colorful and entertaining, albeit often offensive language. That was pops. Pops loved music; Glenn Miller, Elvis Presley, Herb Alpert. He always credited and cherished his high school for having dedicated time each morning to music appreciation. As much as he loved dancing…he even took classes…his wife had absolutely no rhythm. Pops has many nieces and nephews whom he loves dearly, but Kathy was his favorite. She moved to San Antonio to be with her favorite tios, helping them immeasurably for many of their last years. I’m certain she no longer drives without hearing pops tell her which route to take or where to park the car. For all of his many peculiarities and varied idiosyncrasies…he was one of a kind… he loved his wife and he loved his children. He welcomed each of his children’s spouses with open arms and no bias. And for that most of all, pops, I love you forever and always.

Tributes

Miles James Johnson

June 16, 1928 - May 26, 2023