Hilo brothers' closeness continues into death
By Christie Wilson
Advertiser Neighbor Island Editor
Services are being held this week for two Big Island brothers who played together on the shores of Hilo Bay as children, worked together for years in the Theo H. Davies lumber mill and died a day apart.
Daniel James "Porky" Johnson Jr., 73, died Friday at his Hilo home, where he was being cared for by his children after suffering a debilitating stroke 10 years ago. His older brother Edward "Spittoon" Johnson, 76, died the next day at Hilo's Hale Anuenue Restorative Care Center, where he had resided for the past year after suffering a massive stroke and heart attack.
Edwina Johnson of Hilo, Edward's daughter, yesterday said that when she told her father Friday that his brother had died, his breathing became heavy. Although he was unable to speak or walk, she said she knew the news had hit him hard. He died late the next day.
Family members said they were not surprised that the two brothers died one after the other.
"In retrospect, it's surprising it didn't happen on the same day, because my father and my uncle were really close," said Daniel Johnson's son, Daniel Keahi Grant-Johnson of Hilo.
The two men had no other siblings and were never far apart until Daniel Johnson moved to Kona for a number of years. Even then, they visited each other often.
At a time when many boys and men in the Islands were given colorful nicknames as terms of endearment, Daniel Johnson was dubbed "Porky" because he was much heavier than his older brother.
Edward Johnson got his nickname as you might expect. His daughter said "he liked to spit a lot" and took advantage of the spittoons provided for patrons at the movie house in old Waiakea town.
Daniel Johnson, a retired business agent for the ILWU, was active in the Democratic Party and was an ardent campaigner for former Mayor Shunichi Kimura in the 1960s and '70s. He served on the planning, police and liquor commissions during Kimura's tenure.
Daniel Keahi Johnson recalls that his uncle would step in when his father was away at campaign rallies or busy with other activities.
"It was like having two fathers," he said.
Daniel Johnson also served in the National Guard for the Territory of Hawai'i, was a volunteer fish and game warden for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, and was a member of the Court of Mauna Kea, Ancient Order of Foresters.
Private services are planned for Daniel Johnson, who was born Nov. 5, 1929, in Hilo. He is additionally survived by daughters Jacquelyn Pualani Johnson, JoAnn Leilani Pacheco, Jennifer Haunani Bettis, all of Hilo, Raena Noelani Johnson of Kona, and Dannette Mahealani Vaka'uta of Pearl City; 16 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Hilo. Homelani Memorial Park is handling the arrangements.
Visitation for Edward Johnson, born in Hilo on May 12, 1927, will begin at 3 p.m. today at Borthwick Hawai'i Funeral Home, with a service at 5 p.m. Cremation will follow. The family requests casual attire and no flowers.
In addition to his daughter, he is survived by two granddaughters.
