Captain
Active Duty – Fire Station 29 “B” Platoon
Born: December 01, 1957
Appointed LAFD: March 01, 1981
Died: July 29, 2013
Eulogy (as presented by Rick Godinez, LAFD Chaplain)
It is an honor to remember a man who bravely served his country in the United States Air Force and then went on to serve his community as a firefighter. And it’s amazing to see someone who accomplished so much in such a short life. The LAFD is all about tradition and Jeff was one of those guys who appreciated that and set the bar high . . . for the rest of us to follow.
Jeffrey Karl Johnson was born in Los Angeles, California on Dec 1, 1957. He was the youngest of four children born to parents, Robert and Constancia. Jeff attended Belmont High School where he studied hard and played football, ran track & field and studied the art of Tae Kwon Do.
After High School, Jeff joined the United States Air Force. He served honorably as a “Senior Airman” from 1975 to 1979. During his service in the Air Force, Jeff earned a good conduct medal, an Outstanding Unit Award, and an Honorable Discharge in 1979
In 1981, Jeff joined the Los Angeles Fire Department. He started his career in the San Fernando Valley at Drill Tower 89 and then was assigned to various areas of the City. He then promoted through the ranks of Apparatus Operator, Captain I and Captain II.
Jeff worked everywhere from West L.A., East L.A., Hollywood, South L.A., and Downtown. Captain Johnson also served in special duty assignments as a Drill Tower Instructor at the Academy and at Building Administration. Jeff was very content to end his career at his last assignment- Fire Station 29.
In all, Captain Johnson served the Los Angeles community for just over 32 years. He will be missed by the men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Members of the LAFD who had the privilege of working with Jeff described him as being a quiet, conscientious and talented leader who cared for the people in the community he so proudly served, as well as his firefighter family.
Jeff spent his off duty time enjoying photography and was particularly proud of one of his photos being published in the local newspaper. He loved playing golf, riding bikes, flying radio control helicopters and listening to music. His favorite past time was traveling and spending time with his family.
