JOHNSON, Stanley
Posted: March 8th, 2018Stanley “Rufus” Johnson
March 2, 1949 – February 26, 2018
Stanley “Rufus” Johnson passed away quietly at his Vancouver home on Monday, February 26, 2018 at the age of 68. He is survived by his brother, Mitch Zubray of Barrie, Ontario. Rufus was pre-deceased by his father, George and his mother, Helen. Rufus was born and raised in Lethbridge, Alberta. He attended LCI High School then went on to graduate Summa Cum Lately at the Elmo Jenkins Improvisational Academy. Among his many friends, Rufus is best remembered as a sentimental songwriter, an entertaining and patient guitar player and a talented mime of inanimate objects. The spreading of his ashes and a Celebration of Life will take place in the Lethbridge area at a future date to be determined.
Now this is an obituary that the lately passed himself would have loved to read! Rufus had a sense of humour like none other, leading a crowd in shared laughter in one moment then using his rapier-like wit to destroy a heckler in the next. He was loved by many, and he seemed to love entertaining a crowd. But, talented as he was, Stan was also stubborn to the core, and no one could change his mind once it was made. So – set in his ways – he chose his path to the end.
Just one thing to John, who I believe wrote this great Obit, Rufus wasn’t just “a talented mime of inanimate objects” (which implies doing nothing), but he also mimed living things like “the common housefly” and the barely living like “the dying horse” with artistic parody.
Although I was never a close confidant of Stan Johnson, I had known him for a long time, going back to the early 70s, and I always liked him and respected his talent and integrity. I used to run into him from time to time on Commercial Drive, and enjoyed chatting with him, and sometimes reminiscing about the old home town. He was always bright and cheerful when I saw him. I had no idea about his later health problems, not having seen him for a number of years, and was shocked and saddened to hear of his death.