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J. Allen Johnson ’50

J. Allen Johnson ’50, May 24, 2006, from a brain aneurysm, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Allen attended Reed after serving with the 10th Mountain Division in its Italian campaign, and in occupation duty in Yugoslavia following World War II. He studied at the college for three years, with a focus on economics, was a member of the Reed fencing team, and supported his studies (and the remodel of a Model A Ford) by calling contra dances. Allen helped design and build the Reed ski cabin, maintaining his skill in carpentry in subsequent years in Alaska and Hawaii. He also maintained his interest in fencing, earning a Hawaii state championship in saber. He was fond of classical music and performed on a variety of musical instruments. After his move to Hawaii in 1959, he learned to surf and to build his own surfboard, and later enjoyed sailing. He managed his own real estate exchange business for several decades, and, for many years, worked as an instructor for the National Board of Realtors. Survivors include his first wife, Sylvia Baldwin ’50; their three sons—including Branden Johnson, who supplied the details for this memorial; a daughter; and a sister and brother.

Appeared in Reed magazine: November 2006

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