Chauncey Johnson

Chauncey Paul ("Paul") Johnson, 83, of Santa Rosa, CA. passed away on April 9, 2015. Paul will be remembered as a man of great passion and endless curiosity. He was someone who cherished his relationships with family, friends and business associates, and shared his enthusiasm for life with all who knew him. One of Paul's favorite quotes has been attributed to author Jack London: "I would rather be ashes than dust. I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze, than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time." And Paul truly did use his time, pursuing his many interests, while living each day to the fullest. Paul became an entrepreneur at the tender age of seven, when he worked for his grandfather, swatting flies in his Chevrolet dealership. From there, he was unstoppable, whether he was selling "Baby Butlers" door-to-door while studying at Michigan State, or one of the star brokers at Robert W. Baird, an investment firm in Milwaukee. His entrepreneurial spirit also carried him to Jamaica, where he owned the Reef Club, later sold to Hugh Hefner's Playboy Clubs, or to Florida and Wisconsin, where he opened retail stores, or on to a film set, where he was a producer. But the greatest source of pride in his business life was First Colonial Bankshares Corporation, a financial services company. First Colonial was where his creative vision and perseverance came to fruition. In 1971, although he had no collateral, Paul convinced one of the largest commercial banks in Chicago to lend him the money to purchase a bank on the northwest side, promising the bank president that one day his company would be the bank's largest customer. He was right! His organization grew into a publicly-held holding company of 17 banks, as well as three financial subsidiaries, spread across metropolitan Chicago. Even Paul's "retirement years" couldn't stifle his entrepreneurial instincts, and he started three businesses while living in the Napa Valley, where he moved after he sold First Colonial. Paul helped to establish Napa Community Bank, as well as the Gymnastics Zone, which has grown into a prominent gymnastics venue in northern California. He also founded Astrale e Terra Winery, which he purchased with close friends in 1996. The inspiration for the winery's name (heaven and earth) came from the heavens, because of Paul's interest in astronomy, and because it was where Paul learned to fly as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force and as a civilian, flying all over the country in his twin-engine Cessna, and from the earth, where he found joy in digging for evidence of past civilizations. Everyone who met Paul found out pretty quickly that all of the sciences fascinated him, particularly astronomy, archaeology and paleoanthropology. He carried out his exploration of these sciences by studying astronomy at the Adler Planetarium, funding and participating in archaeological excavations in Israel and Jordan, and supporting the study of the Pueblo Indians in southwest Colorado. He also grew fascinated with the study of human origins as a trustee of the Leakey Foundation, and he had the privilege of meeting members of the Leakey family while visiting Kenya. Paul's pursuit of scientific knowledge and knowledge of all kinds was best reflected by the organizations he supported as a trustee. Over his lifetime, he served as a trustee of the American Field Service, a student exchange program, the Chicago Academy of Sciences, Adler Planetarium, Roosevelt University and UNICEF in Chicago, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center in Cortez, CO., the Leakey Foundation in San Francisco, Stetson University, in Deland, FL. and the Blue Oak School and Sonoma Academy, both in northern California. His family foundation has also helped to fund many other not-for-profits that are supported by his children and extended family. Although his interests were diverse and plentiful, Paul always found time to have a rousing political discussion, usually initiated by him. Thinking himself a life-long Republican, he experienced a major shift in 1991, and began to support the fiscal and social agendas of the Democratic Party. Moving to California strengthened his political ties, and he soon became active in a variety of political campaigns, while also co-sponsoring numerous fundraisers. Travel was a "Johnson family tradition" which started when Paul and his wife Anne spent 18 months living in Japan, while he served in the U.S. Air Force. From there, Paul and Anne continued to travel with their daughters Julie, Deborah and Becky, then with their sons-in-law, granddaughters, extended family and friends, as they explored Europe, Africa and Israel. Although the entire world was his to explore, Paul connected to his deepest self while in Wyoming, where he and Anne purchased the Popo Agie Ranch in 1970. Riding the ranch's 4,700 acres on his favorite horse, or taking his nature walks just after dawn, gave him the peace, quiet and breathtaking beauty he needed. That is, until he jumped back into the busy life he loved. No one of us who shared the ranch with Paul will ever again hear Ray Charles singing, "America, the Beautiful" without thinking of Paul and how he loved to start each Wyoming day with such a rousing testament to the country and the ranch he loved. At this point, Paul had lived the lives of many men, but he still had more to do. He had hoped to share his life with a son, someone to carry on the Chauncey Johnson lineage (Paul was the eighth generation Chauncey Johnson), and in 1997 he and his wife Debra were blessed with the arrival of Chauncey Joseph, and four years later, Jonathan Douglas. It is said that the human heart has unlimited capacity for love, and this was proven to Paul by the arrival of these two boys. His three daughters, six granddaughters, and extended family had filled his life with so much love, so many wonderful experiences, he could not believe he was given the gift of two sons, so late in life. He loved watching them skateboard, play tennis and basketball, and snowboard. Then there were Jon's track & field meets, an annual event that he enjoyed so much. Never a car fanatic, Paul was surprised at how much fun he had helping Chauncey refurbish his first car, a 1966 Mustang. Paul is survived by his wife, Debra, his sister Jeanne, his brother Alan (Mary Ann), his five children, Julianne Johnson, Deborah de la Reguera, Becky (Bruce) Milne, sons Chauncey and Jonathan, his six grandchildren, Meghan (Paul) Fladten, Melissa (Eric) Berg, Emily, Elizabeth and Mary de la Reguera, and Brittany Johnson, his three great grandchildren, Annie and Lucy Fladten, and Evelyn Berg, as well as nieces Maribeth (Rick) Quinn, Adrienne Johnson (Steve LaPosa), Cathy (Craig) McClelland, and nephew Vince (Marie) Mancuso, several great nieces and nephews, and cousins Ted Hon and Mary Mouganis. Those wishing to make a contribution in Paul's memory may send it to the C. Paul Johnson Family Charitable Foundation, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, ATTN: Sam Carpenter, P.O. Box 45490, MAC U1228-071, Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0490. Curiosity was so much a part of who Paul was, so the C. Paul Johnson Curiosity Fund has been established so that Paul's legacy of curiosity can continue, by funding scholarships for the pursuit of knowledge in the arts, sciences and international relations. There will be a private celebration of Paul's life, as well as a memorial service, in the coming months.