In Loving Memory of
Kenneth Carl Johnson
1934 ~ 2023
Obituary of Kenneth Carl Johnson
Johnson, Kenneth “Carl” - passed away peacefully in the company of family on May 28, 2023, at the age of 88. Born in Glace Bay in 1934, he was the son of the late Evelyn (née Buckland) and Kenneth Johnson. He grew up with older brother Lorne and younger sister Sandra. At a young age, Carl helped deliver groceries for the Co-op by horse and wagon and later was mascot for the Water Street Sea Rovers senior softball team. He was a self-described rink rat, cleaning the ice at the Miner’s Forum and later playing for Caledonia in the Glace Bay Midget League.Upon finishing school, he served in the Royal Canadian Navy. He subsequently began a career in hockey in various roles including player, marketing manager, founder of a minor hockey
association and player agent. He was associated with the Sacramento Senators, Long Island Ducks, Florida Rockets, Memphis South Stars and Springfield Kings.
He was Coordinator of Canada Hockey Schools in the U.S. with his good friend Doug Harvey and opened the Black Hawk Sporting Goods store in St. Catharines. Carl was founder of Mr.
Jackets, a Canada-wide sporting goods enterprise and designed the original Toronto Blue Jays baseball cap. He also invented, produced and marketed “Face-Off”, a hockey-themed board
game which was placed in the Canadian Museum of History.
Carl was, above all else, a Cape Bretoner. A master storyteller, he was a poet, guitarist and songwriter and in recent years, he added “author” to his list of accomplishments. Carl wrote and
published his autobiography, Hockey’s Sticks and Stones, in which he recounts his colourful career in sports among many other adventures. Carl will be greatly missed by his family and
friends.
Carl was predeceased by brother Lorne (June) Johnson, and sister Sandra (Eric) Irwin. He is survived by daughter Lenorre (Stuart) Saraquse, granddaughters Blayke and Beren, as well as five nieces and nephews. In keeping with his wishes, cremation has taken place. Arrangements have been entrusted to Essentials Cremation and Burial Services.
Carl loved animals, especially his dog Rebel. Donations in Carl’s name may be made to the Cape Breton SPCA.
Information regarding a celebration of life will be announced at a later date. Interment will take place at Greenwood Cemetery in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia.
No challenge remained,
No mountains to climb,
The journey has ended,
Silenced by time.
I’m home from away
With family again
A field of green
No words to amend.
- C. Johnson
Service Information
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Nova Scotia SPCA, Cape Breton ShelterVisit Site
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Carl was a good friend of my father Bob Brown and as a young kid 8- 10 yrs old we would go to many Long Island Ducks games and Carl would always make me feel special at these games and it was then that my love of hockey began. Years later Carl was a speaker at the Franklin County Hockey Association which my father helped originate. Carl always impressed me with his Broad smile, kind words and I always thought of him highly. I only learned of his passing today, a year later. Blessings to his friends & family. I,m sure they have wonderful memories of him as I do!
When I was 10 years old I had the privilege of meeting Carl. It was with my olderbrother John Camp who was a good friend of Carl in North Sydney N.S.. I was so impressed of how Carl was so cool and handled himself. WOW he was maybe 20 years at that time. I followed Carl’s career as much as I could. So sorry to hear the news of his passing. He was a legend.
Carl, My Fellow Cape Bretoner and Best Freind,He was smart ,well travelled, had an opinion on everything,witty and quick and could talk the leg off a chair but most of all He was A Proud Cape Bretoner.
Carl and I grew up on South Street, Glace Bay. We reconnected in our senior years to learn that we both wrote and produced a music album and became published authors. We both exclaimed WOW!!! How cool is that. I will miss our Sunday talks and trips down memory lane in the Sweet and Long ago.
With loving memories, Audrey Greenhalgh, Glace Bay
I had the pleasure of meeting Carl 5 years ago and assisting him with editing his book “Sticks and Stones” among other correspondence he would send out. We became good friends and I adored him very much. We spoke often on the phone, mostly he did all the talking and I just listened. A master story teller he was for sure and I will miss hearing his voice and his laugh. Thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Carl was one of this world’s unique and special characters. We will miss him and his captivating sense of humour, amusing poems, writing, deep insights, and socal nature.
May he rest in peace in his Cape Breton home,.
So sorry to hear of Carl’s passing, thoughts and prayers are with family and friends