Charles Watson Johnson, Member of Chatsworth Pioneer Family, Dies

Retired Los Angeles fireman and long-time member of the Chatsworth Historical Society Charles Watson Johnson died peacefully at his Lake Arrowhead home after an extended illness on March 23. He was 83.

He was born into the third generations of Johnsons in Chatsworth on March 29, 1929. Johnson attended Chatsworth Park Elementary School, Canoga Park High School, John Muir Jr. College, UCLA, and San Jose State College.

His father, Ray (Kelly) Lavalle, was the only postman for Chatsworth for some time, while his mother, Katharine Johnson, as a piano teacher and organist at the Chatsworth Methodist Church, which was founded in 1880 by his great-grandmother, Ann Willden Johnson.

Chuck was an LAFD firefighter for 25 years until his retirement in 1978. He also worked as a general contractor in the San Fernando Valley and Lake Arrowhead.

He was an active member of the Chatsworth Historical Society, which his parents helped found. The society held its first meeting on April 17, 1963 with the members seated around the kitchen table of the Johnson family.

He is survived by his wife, Marcia, son Michael (Erin) Johnson, and son Steven Johnson, all of Lake Arrowhead; daughter Linda (Victor) Gavenda of Albany, Calif.; daughter Kathy (Steven) Gale of Frankfort Ky.; and son David (Susan Leifield) Johnson of Playa del Rey, Calif. Also surviving are granddaughters Shannon Gale, Ashley Smith, Kristin Heather Gale, Maegan Crawford, Lauren Johnson, Emma Gavenda, Genevieve Johnson, Katharine Johnson, and grandson Neils Johnson.

--Ann Vincent contributed to this article.