It is with great sadness we bid farewell to another true pioneer of concrete pumping. Vern Johnson 1942-2013 has passed after a yearlong battle with a rare form of cancer.

Vern started in the industry with Ralph’s Concrete Pumping in 1967 at the age of twenty-five. Vern trained on the 600 and 640 Thompsen stiff boom concrete pumps. In 1971 Vern moved his family to Alaska where he started the pumping division of Anchorage Sand and Gravel. In 1974 McDonald Industries purchased the pumping division of Anchorage Sand and Gravel and Vern stayed on to pilot another new pumping company in Alaska. McDonald closed the pumping division in Alaska 1977, but by this time Vern and family were in Anchorage to stay. Alaska Concrete Services was formed in 1977 by Vern and his wife Mikki. In 1986 Vern welcomed Greg Winsor as a partner and then sold his shares to Greg in 1992. Vern moved his family to Arizona 1992 where they continue to live today.

Vern is survived by his wife of 45 years Mikki, and two sons Charles and Wayne. Wayne has become a carpenter, and Chuck is now employed in the concrete pumping and crane division of Marco Crane of Arizona.