Chester Henry Johnson

Chester Henry Johnson, aged 92, died on July 19 in Santa Fe.

Chester was born in Chicago on November 14, 1926 to Chester and Eugenie Johnson. His first word, “tick tock”, foretold what would become a lifelong calling. He attended North Shore Country Day School, earned a BA at University of New Mexico and a Masters at Yale University School of Public Health.

Chester moved to Santa Fe around 1973, and set up shop for antique clock repair, initially at Wilson Gallery, and then in his studio adjacent to El Zaguan on Canyon Road. He was a member of the Santa Fe Chili and Marching Society, the caretaker of the Spitz Clock on Santa Fe Plaza,  and for many years a breakfast regular at the Plaza Café.

He once wrote the following inscription for a sundial he designed:

The shadows on my face doth show

How fast our brightest hours go

He is survived by his son and daughter, Thomas and Clare Johnson, his granddaughters Alice Johnson and Flavia Willnauer, his niece Sarah Catchpole and his great nieces Jennifer and Ashley Wilson. He was married to Phyllis La Farge Johnson; after their divorce they remained friends until her death several years ago.

Arrangements for a memorial gathering will be announced at a later date.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Chester Henry Johnson, please visit our floral store.