John Joseph "Jay" Johnson, Phd

John Joseph (Jay) Johnson was born in Cleveland, Ohio on April 2, 1929, and moved to Omaha at the age of two months. He attended St. Bernard's grade school, Creighton Preparatory high school and Creighton University, graduating from Creighton with a bachelor's degree in English in 1951. He served in the U.S. Army from August 1951 to May 1953, and was stationed in Japan and Korea during the Korean War. After his military service, John taught high school in Cumberland, Iowa and Boys Town, Nebraska while working on his graduate studies, ultimately earning a doctorate degree in psychology from the University of Nebraska in 1966.







In 1966, John accepted an appointment at St. Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota (now St. Mary's University). He remained on the St. Mary's faculty for 44 years, retiring in 2010. John lived in Winona until February of 2018, when he returned to Omaha to be closer to a larger number of family members, living at New Cassel Retirement Center and Aksarben Village Retirement Community.







John particularly enjoyed visiting with family members, especially nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. In recent years, he became a devoted fan and follower of the Minnesota Twins, certain that they would rise again. His prophecy was fulfilled in this past baseball season.







John was preceded in death by his parents; brothers-in-law Robert Bowman and James Fowler; and by nephew and namesake John (Jay) Johnson. John is survived by all five of his siblings: George (Margaret) Johnson; Margaret Bowman; Richard (Janet) Johnson; Gertrude Fowler; and Mary Claire Owen; 24 nieces and nephews; and many great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great nieces and great-great nephews.