J. Cyril Johnson

J. Cyril "Sid" Johnson was born to Joseph and Sarah Johnson on May 14, 1906 in Holladay, Utah, the oldest son in a family of six boys and four girls. As a member of a large family, Sid learned at a very early age the importance of hard work and resourcefulness. Early entrepreneurial endeavors included working on a chicken ranch, an alfalfa-threshing venture, and turkey farming.

As an ambitious and far-sighted young man, Sid moved from Utah to San Francisco in 1929 to seek new opportunities. Not long after arriving in San Francisco, Sid met his bride, LePrele Lindsay Johnson, and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on November 15, 1933.

Sid began working for the Claude T. Lindsay Construction Company in 1934, and by 1938 was in charge of all building contracts. Over the years, he developed many large real estate projects, ranging from residential subdivision development and apartments to shopping centers, industrial buildings, and convalescent centers.

He donated much of the talent he learned in the construction business to charitable causes - constructing several chapels, a bishop's storehouse, a boy's club, and a rehabilitation center for children. The importance of education ranked high among his priorities - at Brigham Young University his contributions included the Richard L. Evans Chair of Christian Understanding, the growing School of Management building program, the development program, and the "Y" in general, and at the University of Utah he made contributions to the Henry Eyring Endowed Chair in Chemistry.

His children, Annette, Kathy and Craig, knew him as a very honest and generous man who loved to work hard. Many times late in the day they remember seeing him return from painting, building or gardening on his own property after having put in a difficult day of work in his business.

He spent many happy hours both fishing and on the golf course. But next to his family, his great love was missionary work - both for the living and the dead. He served two stake missions and was a temple worker and sealer in the Oakland Temple for many years.

Perhaps his life can best be summed up by the comment, "If anyone tells Sid it can't be done, he usually finds a way to do it."

Formation of the J. Cyril Johnson Fellowship was made possible by an endowment provided by his family. Their generous contribution will be used to support academic research and teaching.