Dr. William Johnson, Jr., 95, of Philadelphia, a standout runner and retired dentist who practiced for many years in Mt. Airy, died at home Aug. 26 of congestive heart failure.
For 40 years, Johnson served patients at his Chew Avenue office in East Mt. Airy. When he began his career, he was one of only a few African American dentists practicing in Philadelphia. His loyal patients were reluctant to see him retire, and he continued practicing until the age of 83. He finally retired in 2014.
“He taught me a strong work ethic, a love for arts and culture, a passion for serving my community, the importance of staying active and above all, kindness to others,” daughter Jacqueline Forbes told the Local last week. “He will be deeply missed.”
Born in Norristown, Johnson was the third of four children born to Jesse White Johnson and William Johnson Sr. While he was a student at New York University, Johnson Jr. earned a bachelor’s degree and also ran track for the college team. He later received his doctor of dental surgery degree from the Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee. Following graduation, he entered the U.S. Army and served as a dentist during the Korean War. He was a longtime member of the New York Dental Society and Philadelphia Dental Society.
Johnson met Susie Jeffries while he was in dental school. They eventually married, lived in Orleans, France, and moved to Philadelphia after his discharge from the Army. They divorced after having two children. Johnson later married Liz Goldberg and the couple were married for 35 years.
The Johnsons traveled extensively. ”We spent many years in southern Mexico,” said Liz Goldberg-Johnson, a filmmaker, artist and a professor in the fashion design department at Drexel University. “We loved the culture and the weather. Finally, I got a pass to film in Havana for an animated film. We loved the people there. Later we found our favorite island, St. Maarten. We were definitely lovers of the Caribbean.”
Johnson also loved running. He was a star distance runner and football player at Norristown High School and later took part in the Broad Street Run and finished first in the masters’ divisions at the Penn Relays. He and his wife, also an avid runner, belonged to the Freedom Striders, of Philadelphia.
“We ran every morning,” Goldberg-Johnson said. “Depending on upcoming races, we would run anywhere from six to 25 miles. The farthest I ran was in the New York City Marathon. For 20 years, every New Year’s Day we all met, and Bill was the king. His buddies from the Army and life have passed. Bill and I were a tandem loving team. We enjoyed each other and life to the fullest.”
Johnson learned to play the cello in his later years and was a gifted gardener with an extraordinary green thumb. He touched plants that seemed to blossom automatically in his capable hands.
When he became ill, Johnson was forced to slow down, but his enthusiasm never waned.
“At the beginning, I was his guide and cane, and we still traveled with cabs and me guiding him,” Goldberg-Johnson said. “His legs started to grow weak. He was mentally absolutely on-point and still attended opera in New York City and the dental convention every year.”
Johnson remained an enthusiastic reader who loved poring over the newspaper each day while enjoying freshly percolated coffee. His favorite novelist was Ken Follett, a Welsh author of thrillers and historical novels.
”Dad was a lifelong informed learner, eager to understand the world a little better than he did the day before,” son Bill Johnson told the Local. “Even in the final months of his life, his curiosity never faded. He taught himself how to solve the Rubik’s Cube, approaching it with the same patience, determination and quiet joy that defined so much of who he was.”
In addition to his wife and children, Johnson is survived by grandchildren Will, Emily, Kelcey and Karla Johnson. A sister and brother predeceased him.
Donations in his memory to Meharry Medical College, 1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd., Nashville, TN 37208.
Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com.
