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Johnson
Dr. Timothy Andrew
Johnson - Southport
Dr.
Timothy Andrew Johnson, born March 29, 1950, in Fremont,
Ohio, died peacefully at home in Southport, North
Carolina, on Thursday, March 7, 2013, with his wife of
over 43 years holding his hand.
He is survived by
his wife, Robin, son Andrew (Mary Beth) of Flagstaff,
Arizona, son Scott currently deployed to Afghanistan and
granddaughter Emma McDowell of Salem, Oregon, daughter
Rebecca Gunn (Steven) and grandson Landon Timothy Gunn
of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, brother James (Kathy)
of Houston, Texas, brother Thomas (Patricia) of Elgin,
Illinois, brother John (Nancy) of Lansing, Illinois, and
numerous nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law, and
brothers-in-law.
Tim received his B.S. in Education at Illinois State
University, his M.S. in Natural Science at Chicago State
University, and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and
Mathematics at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill. He was an educator and medical researcher
for 39 years, beginning as a high school science teacher
in South Holland, Illinois, and culminating as the
founding Associate Dean for Research at the Virginia
Tech Carilion School of Medicine in Roanoke, Virginia.
He also spent over 20 years at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Departments of Medicine
and Biomedical Engineering, and four years at East
Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, as a
professor and researcher in the Department of
Cardiology. During his career, which focused on teaching
and on researching sudden cardiac death, Dr. Johnson
mentored over 50 graduate students, cardiology fellows,
medical students, and undergraduate students,
collaborated with many scientists, physicians, and
cardiology fellows from around the country and the
world, contributed to over 150 publications, abstracts,
and presentations, was an investigator on research
projects funded by over 25 grants totaling several
million dollars, participated in a number of patent
applications, and received an assortment of honors. He
was especially proud of last month’s naming of The
Timothy A. Johnson, Ph.D. Medical Scholar Lecture Series
at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.
Even with all of these professional accomplishments, the
real joy for Tim was found in the time he spent with his
family. Tim was a gentle, kind, and good man who loved
and treasured his family and friends. He thoroughly
enjoyed holding and playing with each of his babies and
grandbabies, taking his sons fishing and camping, going
to his children’s dance, band, and choral recitals,
taking road trips with his children, doing the Macarena
with his daughter, and walking on the beach with Robin
and his beloved Corki. Tim was so proud of each of his
children and many of his nieces and nephews, and he was
very sad that he would not have more time to spend with
his grandchildren. Tim loved to putter around the house
and yard, to fix things (the more mechanical, the
better), to take naps, and to watch junk TV. He had a
delightfully wicked sense of humor, he loved to tell
funny stories to just about anyone, and he made jokes
almost to his last moment.
There will be a memorial service at 1:00 p.m. on
Saturday, March 16, 2013, at St. Peter Lutheran Church
in Southport, North Carolina.
During his lifetime, Tim was an active church member, a
strong believer in the value of education and medical
research, and a supporter of many organizations and
activities that benefit people or animals in need. He
also greatly appreciated the dedication and
thoughtfulness of the Hospice professionals who saw to
his comfort in the last month. Instead of flowers,
please consider making a contribution to a local service
organization, charity, or religious institution of your
choice in memory of Tim.
Tim will be missed by all who knew and love him.
Peacock-Newnam
& White Funeral and Cremation Service, Southport
