STEVEN JOHNSON

08/20/1939 - 08/07/2022

On Sunday, August 7,

2022, Steven Filep Johnson, loving husband, father of two sons and grandfather of two granddaughters passed away at 82. He was born in Hungary on August 20, 1939 to Istvan Filep and Maria Debreceni. Steve Johnson was a freedom fighter, refugee, entrepreneur, husband, father and grandfather.

He escaped Hungary in 1956. At sixteen, he was adopted by Bob Johnson and family, a pastor in Pittsburg. He learned English and finished his education. He started his first company USM, Inc., an engineering and fabrication facility, in 1983. His sons Chris and Paul own and run the business now producing amazing products for NASA, the defense industry, engineering companies and prototype development.

In 1995 he started his second adventure and established Granite Hill Vineyards on 130 acres just north of Fredericksburg, TX. He worked with the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association to develop the Texas wine industry, receiving the Thomas Munson award for outstanding service in 2001.

He loved his neighbor friends at Willow City Ranch and all the good times and adventures there. He enjoyed his buddies at Willow Creek Golf Club and Horseshoe Bay Golf Club. He won championships at both. A brave man of many talents, he was much loved and respected. May he indeed rest in peace.

He was preceded in death by his Hungarian mother, father, brother and sister, and his adopted mother and father. He is survived by his wife Joy, sons Chris (wife Christine), Paul (wife Cynthia), granddaughters Brooke and Ashley, brother Geza Filep, adopted sisters Valerie Sorosiak and Jennifer Johnson, and many relatives in both Hungary and the

US. A Celebration of Life gathering will be held at

Sugar Creek Country Club, 420 Sugar Creek Blvd, Sugar Land, TX 77478 on August 27 at 11:00 am.