The old slogan of "service with a smile" was never more applicable than when applied to Frank Johnson, who has parlayed a genuine liking for people with the nth degree of service in his management of the Texaco station at 5017 So. State.

Frank's booming laugh and firm handshake have been his staples in trade since he opened the station in March of 1954. He greets his customers and services their autos and trucks with the same drive and enthusiasm one might expect from a one time athletic star, which he is.

Before graduating from Murray high school in 1940, Frank excelled as an end in football and as guard in basketball playing with the likes of Art Bishop and Kenny Farrell. He also earned a frosh sweater in basketball at the University of Utah before World War II intervened.

In those days he was known as Frank Evans. His mother died when he was an infant, and Frank, one of 15 children, was reared by an aunt and uncle Mr. and Mrs. Jack Evans at 195 East 45th South. He took the Evans surname until he entered the air corps in 1942 when Uncle Sam had him use his legal name of Johnson.

Having taken the manual arts course at Murray high and with one year of work as a machinist at Remington Arms plant behind him, Frank enlisted in the army air force as a mechanic then waits assigned to flight training as an air force cadet. He went through training in B25's, B17's, and the big B29s and was a co-pilot when Japan surrendered and he was discharged as a flight officer.

Home from the service Frank took a six months course at LDS business college and then took a job as a tank truck driver for the Texaco Co. Late in 1953, he looked for a service station and when a brand new Texaco station went up in Murray he became its lessee.

Frank and his wife, the former Laura Ahlberg, whom he married in 1942, have five children, Dennis Frank, 12, Sylvia Ann, 10, Laurel Fae, 8, Paul Andrew, 6, and Corey Vaughn, 4 months old, and Frank is very much wrapped up in his growing family.

Since last winter he's been scoutmaster of the Boy Scout troop of Murray Eighth Ward, Troop 472. He also has been working this summer as assistant manager of one of the recently organized little league baseball teams in Murray.

Active in LDS affairs, he has served as Sunday school superintendent in the eighth ward and in both stake and ward MIA activities. He's also much interested in the growth of Murray and is a recent and enthusiastic member of the Chamber of Commerce

Ten of Frank's brothers and sisters still are living and most reside in or around Murray. A brother, Floyd H. Johnson, runs a Texaco station at 17th South and State. "You might say," Frank laughs, "that we're in competition."

Frank's father Otto N. Johnson resides in Salt Lake City. Frank and family live at 4675 Hanauer St.

clipped from the Murray Eagle, pages 1,7 (8/29/1957)