David Evan Johnson was born on June 22, 1949 and passed away on Oct. 29, 2026.

He was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where his childhood was filled with adventures exploring alongside his brothers and cousins.

They wandered the hidden pathways and stairways that weave through Berkeley, discovered its beautiful parks and coastlines, and explored the lively streets of Berkeley and the greater Bay Area.

Summers of his youth were especially magical, spent with family and friends along the beautiful shores of Tomales Bay.

Those warm months were filled with the simple pleasures of time spent outdoors, exploring and enjoying the natural beauty of the area. That early sense of adventure and curiosity would remain with David throughout his life.

David was proud to have attended Thousand Oaks Elementary School and Berkeley High School in Berkeley, California.

After graduating from Berkeley High, David attended the University of California Berkeley, in the mid-to-late 1960s. It was a remarkable time and place, one that shaped not only a generation but also much of David’s outlook and perspective on life.

Near the end of his studies at Berkeley, David attended a lecture on mycology, and something clicked. He became fascinated by the world of mushrooms. This new interest grew out of what was already a lifelong passion for the plant world in all its forms.

After leaving Berkeley, David moved north to attend Humboldt State University, where he spent the next several years immersing himself in the study of plants and fungi. He was, in every sense, a true botanist.

His knowledge was extraordinary, and throughout his life he continually amazed friends, family, and anyone fortunate enough to find themselves in a conversation with him about plants or mushrooms.

David carried his love and knowledge of the natural world into his working life, building a career as a landscape and garden designer and contractor.

He had a special gift for creating beautiful spaces, leaving behind gardens that reflected both his creativity and his deep appreciation for the natural world.

David met his wife Kari Samlaska in Oakland in 1989. They lived there together for the next five years before moving to Humboldt County in 1995, where David reestablished his landscaping business.

In 2000, they moved to Santa Barbara, where they would spend the next 19 years. David once again established his landscaping business and continued creating beautiful outdoor spaces, doing the work he loved, until his retirement in 2012.

The years in Santa Barbara also gave David the opportunity to rekindle his enthusiasm for sailing. The beautiful Santa Barbara Harbor and nearby Channel Islands provided the setting for many memorable voyages and adventures on the water.

During this time, he also formed lasting friendships with fellow sailors, adding another wonderful dimension to the years he spent in Santa Barbara.

Asked to reflect on his life and what had meant the most to him, David remarked that he had spent his life searching for beauty. Those words perhaps describe him better than anything else.

David was an avid outdoorsman with an unquenchable passion for hiking. There were very few corners of California that he hadn’t explored at one time or another.

He was always searching for the most beautiful trails, the perfect camping spots, and the next wonderful place to discover. The outdoors was where he felt most at home, and exploring the natural world remained one of his greatest pleasures throughout his life.

He found beauty in many forms. He loved the years he spent working with plants and creating gardens that would continue to grow and bring enjoyment long after his work was done.

During his years studying mushrooms, he found extraordinary beauty in the smallest details, particularly when viewing their cross-sections under a microscope. To David, these intricate structures were works of art.

Retirement brought a new creative chapter. David began making art from repurposed objects, delighting in the hunt for unusual and interesting things that he could bring together to create whimsical, unexpected and beautiful pieces.

Many of these creations continue to bring smiles and fond memories of David to those who have them.

Around this same time, David decided to take some jewelry-making classes. Although he enjoyed the classes and created a number of beautiful pieces of jewelry, it was not the jewelry itself that ultimately captured his imagination. It was the tools, and in particular, the hammers.

What began as an interest soon became a passion that would occupy much of the next 14 years of his life. David devoted himself to building what would become one of the most beloved and carefully curated hammer collections imaginable.

He was endlessly fascinated by the history, craftsmanship, character and variety of these tools. His enthusiasm for hammers was infectious, and his collection became much more than an assortment of objects. It became a connection to a remarkable community of fellow enthusiasts around the world.

David and Kari were fortunate to enjoy many years of travel together, exploring destinations throughout the United States and internationally. Their travels were always a source of wonderful experiences and memories.

Once the hammer collection began to grow, many of their adventures took on an additional purpose, with trips often revolving in some way around hammers.

Through the Internet, David connected with fellow collectors and enthusiasts across the globe. These friendships led to opportunities for David and Kari to travel, meet many of these wonderful people, and share their mutual appreciation for their collections and the stories behind them.

David’s life was defined by curiosity, enthusiasm, creativity, and an appreciation for beauty in all its forms.

Whether he was discovering a hidden hiking trail, studying the intricate details of a mushroom, creating a garden, finding new life for an unusual object, or adding another fascinating hammer to his collection, he approached the world with a sense of wonder that never diminished.

His family and friends will forever be grateful for the boundless enthusiasm, inquisitiveness, knowledge, humor and joy he brought into their lives.

He leaves behind not only wonderful memories, but also gardens, creations, collections, friendships, and countless stories that will continue to bring smiles to those who knew and loved him.

At David’s request, no services are planned at this time.

Asked what he would like his family and friends to do in remembrance of him, his answer was simple: Go out and take a hike, and think of him. After all, that is exactly where he would have wanted to be himself.