Roberts "Robbie" "Bob" Johnson ~ passed away on April 25, 2025, a few weeks shy of his 80th birthday. He is survived by his wife of nearly 59 years, Bonnie (Brownell); daughters, Dawn Chiasson, Nicholsville and Heather Johnson, Summerville/Halifax; granddaughters, Rae Chiasson (Colton Disley) and Lindsay Chiasson; his brother, Fausen and sister-in-law, Lee, Pictou.

Robbie was born in Digby County to Karl and Minnie (Truesdell) Johnson, spent his early years in Middleton, and graduated from North Queens High School in Caledonia after the family moved to South Brookfield. He completed basic training at RCAF Centralia and graduated with distinction from A.N.S. Winnipeg in 1965. After meeting Bonnie, a new teacher, on a blind date in 1964, and taking her to Nova Scotia to meet his parents and see the backwoods of Queens and Annapolis Counties, they married in Windsor, Ontario, in 1966.

Bob served in the Royal Canadian Air Force, starting as a Radio Officer with 103 Search and Rescue, first in Greenwood, NS, then Summerside, PEI, and Halifax, NS. He later became a Navigator, after relocating his young family back to Winnipeg for additional training. Bob's service then took him back to CFB Greenwood, where he flew on the Argus and later the Aurora.

In the mid-1970s the family settled in Nicholsville, on the South Mountain above Aylesford. Bob and Bonnie joined the Nicholsville Community Hall, and Bob had a dunk tank built to support community events. Bob tried his hand at homesteading, making sauerkraut, and gardening, and the family always had a menagerie of cats, rabbits, chickens, geese, and pigs. A three year stint in Birchtown (Sandy Point), which included some challenges presented by his position and caring for Minnie in her final years, had a lasting impact on Bob's personality and relationships.

While in Birchtown, Bob purchased the farm across the road back in Nicholsville; the family moved back to "the valley" in 1982 and built a stack-wall barn with a well-known bright orange roof. Bob became a part-time apple farmer, then full-time after his retirement, as Captain, from the Forces in 1991. Dawn came back to the valley and joined Bob working on the farm. Together they enjoyed orchard tours across Canada and the US, with other local fruit growers, those trips replacing the enjoyment he had from exploring new places in the military. He developed his long-running Adopt-a-Tree program, and tried his hand at growing strawberries, raspberries, and Jacob's Cattle beans. He was involved with the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association and was a founding member of the (relatively short-lived) Apple Farmers' Association of Nova Scotia.

Robbie loved a good argument and to debate issues. Well-educated and well-read, he could hold his own (right or wrong). He rarely answered a question asked by his curious daughters, always encouraging them to seek out the answer for themselves, something they found infuriating at the time, but which fed their development as life-long learners.

He loved "the Camp" (Balmp's 'Oods) in Albany New, which he shared with his brother. After each of Fausen's stays, Robbie would check to see if his brother had left everything the way Robbie had previously left it and was quick to point out issues pertaining to said inspection! Always the big (little) brother, he loved to teach Fausen and inspire him to do well. Separated by age and geography in earlier years, they became and remained close in later years.

Bob was a voracious reader of history and spent many hours volunteering (and volunteering Bonnie) for the North Queens Heritage Society.  His interest in genealogy and family tree produced many interesting facts and documents on the Johnson and Truesdell Clans; his daughters recall "family photos" as children being taken with grave markers in cemeteries around Nova Scotia. Bob passed this passion for history and genealogy on to his daughter Dawn.

Like his Grandfather John Truesdell, Bob loved the outdoors and would often strike off on his skidoo in the winter to camp in the woods in a snowbank, sometimes along with his reluctant wife, children, or brother. He shared his love of nature, and adventure, with his young granddaughters, taking them canoeing on the Medway and Annapolis Rivers, and on a camping adventure to Isle Haute.

Bob's carpentry skills were also well honed, and he built much of his own furniture, remodeled at least two kitchens including building all of the cabinets, and brought his Camp to much the same style as his grandfather had built it over 100 years ago. Bob had a particular affinity for Datsuns and always bought two cars - "one for parts" - including one for $50 from a ditch, of which he was particularly proud. It was not unusual for his vehicles to have "unique" modifications, at least one sporting a wooden bumper and another having the door held closed with rope.

Bob was almost always very frugal (he was opposed to spending money on home heating oil until he had a stroke in 2009). Over the years, he designed solar and wood-stove heated hot water systems, and he cut his own firewood for many decades. This frugality fell away in his later years - as well as the "luxuries" of furnace and air conditioner, he would regularly spend his money on new vehicles that required no modifications, meals out (especially the Farmer's Family Diner in Millville), and several hundreds of dollars a visit on excursions to used bookstores.

The stroke that Bob suffered on his 64th birthday finally allowed him to be able to quit smoking but also limited him in so many of the activities he had previously enjoyed. He was stubborn to a fault, which only increased over the years. Always someone who wanted to be in control, the last 16 years of his life were particularly frustrating for Bob, but he continued to live at home, thanks to Bonnie's great patience and care, and he derived much enjoyment from weekly visits with Lawrence and Terry.

Cremation has taken place, Balmp's 'Oods will be Bob's final resting place, as per his wishes. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to a local heritage society, the Heart & Stroke Foundation, or a charity of your choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to Middleton Funeral Home 398 Main Street, toll free 1-855-825-3448. Online guest book may be signed by visiting: www.middletonfuneralhome.com