Henry Johnson

Henry Johnson was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 26, 1937, as the only child of Lizzie Mae (Hall) and Henry Johnson Sr. Henry grew up in Cincinnati and attended Cincinnati Public Schools including Walnut Hills College Preparatory School. His family moved to the suburbs during his high school years, and he attended Wyoming High School. During this time Henry excelled in both academics and sports, serving as quarterback of the football team and vice president of the class. After graduating from high school in 1955, Henry attended the University of Cincinnati, majoring in biological science and chemistry. In 1956 he became a member of the Alpha Alpha Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He was also very active on the university’s chess team. Upon graduating from the university in 1959, he married and was gifted with two children, Michael and Kelli (deceased). In the early 1970s, Henry earned a master’s degree from Xavier University with a major in chemistry. After reconnecting years after graduating from college, he married his wife Robbie A. Johnson on June 5, 1970. Henry was academically talented, emotionally a leader, socially witty, fun and spiritually dedicated to his family, community and friends. He was a research chemist and project leader for the U.S. Public Health Service, which later became the Environmental Protection Agency. He specialized in toxic waste management, air pollution and emissions, and vehicle programs and compliance. He was an expert on the handling of hazardous and toxic materials. This knowledge base led him to be recruited by General Motors’ Environmental Activities Program. He, Robbie and their family moved to West Bloomfield, Michigan, where he enjoyed an interesting and engaging career at GM. His knowledge and enthusiasm for various action research resulted in Henry being very upwardly mobile at the company, including holding environmental positions at Fisher Body and leadership positions with Cadillac. He retired from GM in the early 1990s, but was immediately recruited to return to the EPA as director of vehicle programs and compliance. Henry retired from the EPA in 1998. Henry’s enthusiasm for leadership and community involvement was evident in everything he did. In 1970, he became the first African American to become a city councilman in the village of Wyoming, Ohio. His campaign was so enthusiastically accepted that he missed receiving the highest number of votes ever recorded by only 37 votes. Everyone that met Henry always regarded him as fun, witty, smart, exceptionally caring and committed to doing exceptional things. He once sat in a bookstore window and challenged passersby to come in and try to beat him in a chess match. He was featured in the first GM video that was displayed at Walt Disney World’s Epcot. He once coached all of the baseball teams his four children participated in. He wrote and published a research article for Black Enterprise magazine. He loved jazz music and amassed a large collection of records, enthusiastically teaching the history of jazz wherever and whenever he could. He was an excellent golfer and often played golf five times a week. He won many trophies and is credited with 14 holes-in-one. Henry was a charter member of the Hilton Head Gang and a member of the Eagles Golf Group. He was also a member of the Hosts of Palm Coast Social Club. Henry also had a robust sense of humor. He often left his family and friends with tears in their eyes from witty remarks, jokes, pointed looks and hilarious stories. For many years, he and Robbie hosted Fourth of July festivities for their extended family in Michigan, delighting their children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews with good food, family bonding, games of bid whist and days spent on their boat. Henry was always deeply spiritual but not overly religious. With patient encouragement and guidance from his son, he received Christ as his Savior. As a dear family friend once said of Henry, “he was such an icon of my childhood. Henry was the first ‘adult’ I actually considered my friend as well.” This feeling was often shared and expressed by others. Henry leaves many friends and relatives to continue his love for music, golf and a good laugh, including: his wife of 56 years, Dr. Robbie A. Johnson; his children Michael Johnson (Candace), Karin Ellison (Rob) and Kristi Goldner (Seth); his grandchildren Danielle Miller (Alan), Briana Ellison, Jessica Ellison and Rachel Goldner; his great-grandchildren Myles Miller, Corinne Miller and Simeon Miller; cousins Charles Hall, Pam Murdock, Phyllis Wolford and Andrew Harden; nephews Stephen Borden and Robert Borden, niece Cheryl Borden-Thomas and many great-nieces and nephews. His wife Robbie’s favorite quote regarding Henry is credited to Bill Withers: “Ain't no sunshine when he’s gone.” In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Ivy Community Foundation in memory of Henry Johnnson. Ivy Community Foundation P.O Box 351268 Palm Coast, Florida 32135 Make checks payable to: The Ivy Community Foundation or Zelle: ICFPC@gmail.com

Henry Johnson

January 26, 1937 - August 11, 2026