Jason "JD" Johnson

Jason D. Johnson, 39, of Pocatello, Idaho, passed away on June 2, 2026.

Jason was born on January 14, 1987, in Pocatello, Idaho, where he was raised and spent most of his life. As a child, he enjoyed spending time with his many cousins, camping, fishing, and skiing at Pebble Creek with his family. He graduated from Highland High School in 2006 and went on to proudly serve his country in the United States Navy. During his military service, he had the opportunity to travel the world, an experience he often spoke of with pride. After returning home, Jason worked as a custodian, first at Idaho State University and later at Pocatello High School.

Jason enjoyed the simple things in life: fishing, hunting, grilling, skiing, listening to rock n' roll, spending time with his dog, and sharing a drink with friends and family. He was an animal lover and had a special affection for dogs. He also loved driving around with his music turned up and challenging whoever was riding with him to identify the song that was playing. Whether they knew the answer or not, Jason was usually happy to tell them.

Those who knew Jason often described him as stubborn, reliable, eccentric, argumentative, and well-intentioned. He was firm in his beliefs, enjoyed spirited debates, and rarely passed up the opportunity to have the last word. As one of his sisters put it, Jason was always well-intentioned—if he could just keep his mouth shut. He loved teasing the people he cared about and was known for his unique sense of humor.

His family remembers him as someone who was always willing to lend a hand when manual labor was needed. If Jason said he was going to do something, he did it. His grandmother fondly remembered how kind and considerate he was to her. Growing up, he had a love for martial arts and could often be found swinging nunchucks, practicing with his katanas, and pretending to be a ninja. His sisters remember his goofy jokes, his tendency to be a "know-it-all" about fishing and just about everything else, and his habit of already having a better story whenever someone shared a new experience. No matter what you had done, seen, or experienced, chances were Jason had done it first—and had a story ready to prove it. In many ways, he was an old soul.

Jason especially enjoyed the tradition of exchanging intentionally ridiculous Christmas gifts with his siblings and their spouses. Over the years, these gifts included trading a can of peas for a can of corn, gifting containers of cat litter to family members who could drive, and presenting his brother-in-law with an oversized Nerf gun while completely skipping his sister's gift. Fourth of July was also a big deal to Jason and his dad. The best part of the fireworks was often Jason's excitement. He loved bottle rockets more than anyone. These moments of laughter, mischief, and shared traditions became treasured family memories.

Jason was preceded in death by his father, Joel E. Johnson; his grandparents, MaryLou Johnson, Jack Johnson, and Linda Ward.

He is survived by his mother, Patricia Lewis; his stepmother, Tonia Johnson; his grandfather, Gil Lewis; his sisters, Felicia Johnson, Amanda (Justin) Hayball, and SammiJo (Broc) Scott; his stepbrother, Derick Alfonso; his stepsister, Erika (Josh) Larson; his two nephews; and numerous extended family members, cousins, friends, and loved ones who will miss him dearly.

Jason lived life his own way. He could be stubborn enough to argue a point long after everyone else had given up, but he was also the person you could count on when there was work to be done. He loved deeply, laughed often, and left his family with no shortage of stories to tell. Whether those stories involve fishing advice, spirited debates, bottle rockets on the Fourth of July, rock music trivia from the driver's seat, or one of his questionable Christmas gifts, they will continue to bring smiles and laughter for years to come. He will be missed, remembered, and talked about often—which is probably exactly how he would have wanted it.

Military Graveside services will be held on Thursday June 11, 2026 at 2pm at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Blackfoot (2651 Cromwell Ln, Blackfoot, ID 83221)

A Celebration of Life will be held at Sister City Park (Pocatello Creek Road & Satterfield Dr, Pocatello, ID) immediately following the Graveside.