Johnny Martin Iverson

Johnny Martin Iverson, age 92, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Mink Creek, Idaho, on May 27, 2026, from natural causes. As a fellow pilot-poet once wrote, Johnny has now "slipped the surly bonds of Earth." Few who knew him would doubt that he was ready for the journey.

While many knew Johnny as "Captain Iverson," depending on when and how you knew him, you might have called him by any number of other titles... Husband, Father, Grandfather, Uncle, Scoutmaster, Farmer, Fisherman, Hunter, Pilot, Mechanic, Welder, Bulldozer Operator, Builder of Canoes, Musician, Storyteller, Ski Instructor, Hiker, Camper, Sailor, Thespian, Fullback, Sprinter, Master of the Sousaphone, Hockey Player, and above all, a Disciple of Jesus Christ.

Johnny was born on a farm in Manila, Utah, on April 25, 1934, the eldest son of John Glenroy Iverson and Melba Keeler Iverson. On the farm, he learned the values of work, responsibility, and self-reliance that stayed with him throughout his life.

On June 11, 1954, he married Jeannine Pack in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Together they raised nine children and built a family that grew to include 43 grandchildren and 109 great-grandchildren.

Aviation was one of the defining passions of Johnny’s life. He earned his pilot's license before he earned his driver's license. As a teenager, he rode his bicycle to the airport, where he worked in exchange for flight time. Flying was not merely a career choice; it was part of his identity.

In 1960, he joined Frontier Airlines, beginning a professional aviation career that lasted nearly four decades. He retired as an airline pilot in 1994 when he reached the mandatory retirement age, then continued flying as a flight engineer for several more years. He loved airplanes, understood them deeply, and respected the discipline and responsibility that safe flying required.

Yet aviation was only one chapter in a much larger story.

For many years, Johnny and Jeannine made their home on forty acres in Highland, Utah. There they raised alfalfa and grain, maintained a large orchard, vineyard, and garden, and kept a small herd of cattle. A stream and ponds provided opportunities for fishing, hunting, and endless outdoor adventures. It was a place where children learned to work, explore, and enjoy the outdoors.

Johnny was a skilled mechanic and took satisfaction in understanding how things worked. He could repair airplanes, cars, trucks, tractors, and heavy equipment. If something broke, his first instinct was not to call someone else. It was to figure out how to fix it.

Johnny possessed a strong work ethic and a determined belief that problems were meant to be solved. He rarely viewed a task as impossible. Difficult jobs were simply jobs that required more effort, more persistence, or a different approach. His children could tell stories—some involving bulldozers and mud. Johnny often seemed to subscribe to the philosophy that "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing."

The outdoors occupied an important place in Johnny’s life. Every summer, he loaded his family into a station wagon or van—with canoes strapped to the roof—and headed for the mountains. The fact that the destination could only be reached by roads better suited for four-wheel-drive vehicles than family transportation never fazed him. And who else would discover that a flat tire fifteen miles into the Uinta wilderness could be repaired with a wad of chewing gum?

He loved fishing mountain streams—especially Little Deer Creek—and the alpine lakes of the Uintas. He enjoyed canoeing, particularly whitewater, and built his own canoes to do it.

Hundreds of young men came to know Johnny through Scouting. As a Scouter, he spent decades teaching outdoor skills, leadership, responsibility, and self-reliance. Dozens earned the rank of Eagle Scout under his guidance, but Johnny cared less about badges than about helping boys become capable men.

Johnny was also known for his outgoing nature. He enjoyed people, loved a good conversation, and was rarely at a loss for a story. He had a particular fondness for memorizing poetry, especially cowboy poetry, and was always willing to recite a favorite verse to family, friends, neighbors, or anyone else who would listen.

At the center of Johnny's life was his faith. He was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and sought to order his life according to its teachings. Although he considered himself a disciple of Jesus Christ, he likely would have preferred the description "would-be disciple." He believed that obedience to God was not an abstract principle but a practical guide for daily living.

Johnny leaves behind a large posterity, a lifetime of accomplishments, and an enduring example of faith, hard work, and service. He valued usefulness over recognition, substance over display, and action over talk. His family remembers a man who could fly an airliner, repair an engine, run a bulldozer, lead a Scout troop, haul hay and take a water turn, fulfill a church calling, recite a cowboy poem, and still find time to take his family into the mountains.

Johnny is survived by his wife, Jeannine Iverson; his children, Steven Iverson (Jessie), Teresa Russon (Virgil), Micheal Iverson (Susan), David Iverson (Shari), Cherie Shillig (Ted), Christine Clark (Charles), Kurt Iverson (Margret), and Rebecca Jones (Dane); and his siblings, Jane Huntsman, Ronald Iverson (Suk), Charmane Riggs (Milt), Pamela Tidwell, and Caroline Edwards.He was preceded in death by his son Gregory Iverson (Vickie) and his brother Grant Iverson (Pauline).

A service celebrating Johnny's life will be held Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Preston East Stake Center, 310 North State Street, Preston, Idaho. A visitation will be held Saturday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the stake center. Interment will follow at the Mink Creek Cemetery, 7057 E. Mink Creek Road, Preston, Idaho.

The services will be available to stream live on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. MDT by clicking on the following link:

https://youtube.com/live/FeydTWVx6yk?feature=share