Edwin Lee Johnson (1923 to 2011): Sammamish Resident, Chemist

In their online obituary, Edwin Lee Johnson's children wrote simply: "We love you, Dad!"

The Sammamish man was born in Tacoma on June 30, 1923 and died on May 17, according to Flintofts Funeral Home & Crematory.

It must have been an experience to meet Johnson, a chemist who lived along Lake Sammamish.

His family said he put his mind to good use, especially for neighbors and friends during lakeside celebrations to mark the country's birthday.

"Lee had the encyclopedic mind of the true inventor," they wrote. "He was well-known for his Fourth of July celebrations involving weather balloons, helium and some homemade pyrotechnics."

When he wasn't impressing neighbors and friends, he could be found running his own laboratory and serving as a chemical engineering consultant.

In 1946, the University of Washington graduate married Shirley Lingerman. In 1990, the two moved closer to Lake Sammamish, occupying a converted beach house.

"He was known as a lover of good food, drink and song, and he had a quirky sense of humor. His unique personality will be missed by friends and family," his family said.

They ask that remembrances be sent in his honor to the American Heart Association.