Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Tyrone Leroy Johnson was born in the Bronx, New York, to his parents Rose and Frank in 1962. He was an only child. Sadly, his father died when Tyrone was five-years-old. Tyrone grew up with a single mom in the projects near Fort Apache, while his mother worked as a maid. At a young age, Tyrone was determined to get out and find new opportunities. He tried boxing, but he was a life-long student. Very studious in school, he was self-taught. He kept pushing himself at every turn. He was a good kid, who was very close to his mother, so he kept focused. He wanted to make her proud, take care of his family, and not be a statistic. Many of his childhood friends were headed down the wrong path in the Bronx. Instead, Tyrone was into his studies and took an interest in aviation and aerospace. He didn't always have common sense, but he believed he could send a rocket to the moon. He dreamed of joining the Air Force, but because of complications from diabetes, he'd have to find another way to make his mark in the world. Martin Luther King was his hero and he quoted him throughout his life. Tyrone's dream was to make the history books one day. In his own way, he made that dream come true.

He graduated from Aviation High School, specializing in airplane mechanics. Tyrone and several of his classmates were scouted and offered jobs at Lockheed in Southern California. Tyrone relocated in 1980 and worked for a few years at Lockheed. He even helped to build the Stealth Bomber at Lockheed, making him a part of history forever. That move not only answered his dream, but also answered another important part of his life. While out with mutual friends, he met Stacy. They started dating in 1980 as well. When Lockheed laid off workers, Tyrone made a decision to move back to New York to pursue a college degree in mechanical engineering. He told Stacy, "If it's meant to be, it will be." Stacy stayed in Southern California, but they kept in touch. After six years in New York, Tyrone moved back to the San Fernando Valley. He found work quickly. Professionally, Tyrone worked hard as a mechanical engineer at Lockheed, Northrop and Rocketdyne over the years. Stacy had a one-year-old son, Antonio, who's also known as Mookie. The couple started dating again. Stacy will never forget the day he proposed, because they were in their apartment when Tyrone got down on his knee and asked her, "Stacy Heather, will you marry me?" She said, "Yes!" The couple married in a beautiful ceremony in Malibu in 1990. It was every woman's dream wedding. Their wedding song was "Here and Now" by Luther Vandross. Tyrone's mother, Rose, attended the wedding along with Stacy's family. Young Mookie was the ring bearer at the wedding ceremony. Quite a few years later, the couple was thrilled with the birth of their daughter, Malyn, who they named as a tribute to Stacy's mother, Marilyn. They bought their home in 1999 and settled into family life.

Tyrone was a good father. Mookie is an actor and singer, since the age of 10, and Malyn is a dancer. Tyrone attended many of their performances. He was always the one father with the biggest video camera filming the kids. He was proud of their accomplishments. He was secretly a backstage dad. He'd say "That's my son" or "That's my daughter." He gave them a love of music, films, and television. He was very proud to watch Mookie graduate from Van Nuys High School and go on to attend Los Angeles Valley College. In December, he saw Malyn's dance performance for Christmas. He loved the kids so much. Tyrone was a huge fan of Star Wars and Star Trek. He loved going to the conventions and getting signatures from celebrities. He once got an autograph from the robot from Lost in Space. He was a Science Fiction fan in every way and loved everything having to do with aerospace and planes. He loved all of the Sci-Fi movies, especially Independence Day. He also watched the Sci-Fi Channel and he enjoyed attending air shows.

Stacy and Tyrone had a very close circle of friends. They belonged to the Eternal Order of the Eagles, which involved Friday night dinners, Sunday breakfasts, and an amazing bowling league. Stacy says they joined like Fred and Wilma Flintstone in bowling. The Eagles quickly nicknamed Tyrone "Classified G4 Clearance" because he was their secret weapon. Tyrone owned four bowling balls, his own bowling shoes, arm guards and hands guards. For five years, he was serious about his bowling. He was also serious about having fun with the Eagles.

His favorite food was Chinese food and he liked steak and potatoes. He liked drinking coffee, wine, and Bud Light. At home, Tyrone was the cook of all cooks. In fact, he made the most famous greens this side of the Mississippi. He never got the holiday meals cooked on time, but it was always delicious when it was done. Sometimes it looked like he made enough food for 95 people, when there were only eight family members eating the meal. But, he made the best greens, macaroni and cheese, and potato salad. He recently taught Malyn how to make his potato salad. For Thanksgiving, he always made the turkey while Stacy made the stuffing. For New Year's Eve, he made black eyed peas for good luck and he always took a shower at midnight so he could wash away the old year. He'd start the new year fresh and clean. Holidays were definitely important in his world. Halloween was one of his favorite days of the year. He was secretly in competition with one of his neighbors and his decorations had to be bigger and better every year. He dressed up as Diana Ross in the early 90s, mustache and all, and when he was handing out candy, he liked to wear his Grim Reaper costume with his scythe. He'd play the Exorcist to set the atmosphere and then when the kids came to the door, he'd play scary music and set off the fog machines. The kids loved it and came back year after year.

With a love of music, Tyrone listened to a wide variety of songs and 80s tunes. He was old school. His favorite song was "It Takes Two." His kids used to joke that he only had one dance move and that's the move he always made to the music. When it came to sports, growing up he liked the New York Jets and the New York Yankees. That never changed. But, he did take a liking to the Los Angeles Lakers and he always liked watching the playoffs in baseball, football and basketball. And, he loved his dogs. They were always good companions through the years. The family dogs, Rosie and Eli, loved him.

Tyrone loved to laugh, as he had a great sense of humor. When they moved into their home, he was so excited that he wanted to buy a new lawn. He even tried to grow a lawn. Unique his whole life, his favorite color was orange. When he wanted to know what was going on in your life he asked, "What's cookin'?" To get you off the phone he'd say, "I'm going to let you go now." The family figured out his reverse psychology. If you said you had a sore throat, he told you to take cod liver oil pills. He thought they were the cure all and encouraged you to take them.

Tyrone probably should have worked in the news business, because he loved watching the news on television. He watched the news at 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00. During the earthquake in 1994, he woke up and screamed, "This is it! We're all going to die!" Stacy slapped him and said, "Go get our kid!" Mookie was already hiding under the desk when Tyrone got to his room. Tyrone climbed over piles of fallen books in holey underwear to get his son to safety. It is a scene that Mookie and Stacy will never forget. When 9-11 happened, he just panicked and went running through the house yelling, "We're going to war!" He thought the world was going to end. When tragedies occurred, he seemed like he was the first to know. He called or e-mailed his father-in-law, Richie, to tell him about the latest news. When Katrina hit everyone knew because of Tyrone.

Four years ago, Stacy said she wanted to go to Hawaii before she died. Tyrone made that dream a reality and the couple spent a wonderful vacation in Oahu, Hawaii. In January of this year, Stacy's parents took the couple on a special cruise to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo.

For the past 60 days, Tyrone was hospitalized. Every day, Stacy went to the hospital. The last thing he said to her before she went on a trip was, "I love you." She talked with him by phone and when she was back in town, she was by his side. After his stroke on April first, things changed dramatically. Before he passed away, Stacy and Gwenn took the kids to the hospital. Tyrone was completely aware that they were there. He looked at everyone as though to say goodbye. In the end, Stacy and Joe gave him permission to go. Stacy even told him not to worry, that the bills were paid. He passed away peacefully with Stacy, Gwenn, Joe and Hilda by his side. For the first time, Stacy believes that he is in a better place because he's not suffering in pain anymore. Tyrone was spiritual. He believed in God and wanted to convert to Judaism. A year after Stacy and Tyrone married, his mother passed away. Tyrone joins her at peace, as he watches over his family.

Tyrone's purpose in life was to be a good father and husband and make the history books. He did exactly that. With Stacy, they had a partnership until the end, as his family was always the best part of his life. Tyrone was so proud that he lived to see a black President. He was very proud of President Barack Obama. There are memories everywhere you turn at the family home. The engraved champagne glasses from their wedding adorn a shelf and bring a smile. The anniversary plates that Tyrone bought year after year for his Stacy are in mint condition. The family will miss Tyrone's presence, his cooking, and his company. He is greatly loved and will be greatly missed. Tyrone's advice would be: Get an education, spend as much time with your family and friends as you can, and love everybody every day because you never know when life will be over. Memorial donations are welcome in Tyrone's name to the American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org.

Tyrone was preceded in death by his parents Rose and Frank. He is loved and remembered by his wife of 20 years Stacy; son Mookie; daughter Malyn; sister-in-law Gwenn; father-in-law Richie and mother-in-law Judy; cousins and many friends.