Steve Johnson was born June 24, 1944 in South Gate to Elwyn and Rosa Johnson.  He attended Bryson Avenue Elementary School and South Gate Junior and Senior High Schools.  Steve was S'B Class President and enjoyed leadership in school.  He had a friendly personality and was great friends with his neighbor, Dave Duran, S'62, and Fred Brewer, W'62.  He and Fred especially loved fast cars and racing.  

Right after high school Steve joined the Navy and served three years during the Viet Nam War.  In 1966 he began a 33-year career in the fire service, retiring as a fire captain with Los Angeles County Fire Department in 1999.  During that time he married Cathy, a 1967 graduate of Anaheim High School.  

Steve's No. 1 hobby was auto racing.  His racing roots dated back to his early childhood when his Dad worked for Frank Kurtis of Kurtis-Kraft midget frame.  Later he got involved in sprint car racing as an official with the California Racing Association (CRA) and the Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) during the late 70's, 80's and early 90's.  In 1997 he attended his first NASCAR race, the Daytona 500, and was an avid fan after.  

Shortly before Steve retired from LACoFD, he filed his "infamous case" and fought a First Amendment Rights Lawsuit in the 9th Circuit Court.  His fire chief banned Playboy (and other magazines) from the fire stations.  Steve took issue with his policy and filed the suit for the fire service nationwide.  He was represented by Hugh Hefner's attorney, the late Burton Joseph of Chicago. In the end, the case was won and the fire chief was ordered to rescind his policy.

The moniker, Firebat, became Steve's nickname when a lady in distress dubbed him with it back in the mid-80's when he was helping her out at the side of the San Diego Freeway on a rainy day.  It then became his website name, "www.firebat.com," which shared important issues and information and his conservative political views.

In July 2000, he discovered a great place called Sugar Springs in the center of Michigan's lower peninsula.  Located near Gladwin, West Branch and Houghton Lake, he moved there in December 2000, with his two rescued "kitty cats," the loves of his life!  He and Cathy were taking a break from one another and she stayed in California.  Steve wanted to live where there were four real seasons.  He was tired of "California's four seasons:  Floods, Fires, Earthquakes and Riots!"  Wintertime in Michigan was his favorite season of all...snow and snowmobiling!  Eventually Cathy moved to Sugar Springs, they started building their dream home in 2005, and they moved into it two years later, August 11, 2007.  

Steve is survived by his loving wife, Cathy, nephew, John Butterfield, niece, Erin Soule, and godsons:  Cody, Austin and Logan.  May you rest in peace dear classmate.

Click on Steve's profile comments and scroll through all to see pictures of his lovely home and interesting accounts of his life in detail.

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