C. Frederick Johnson '42 died on April 30, 2009.
My father, Fred Johnson, died peacefully on April 30, 2009, in Sarasota, Fla. Dad was born in 1920 in Springfield, Mass., and graduated from Classical High School. With the strong support of his mother, he entered Amherst where he majored in history, played baseball, joined Theta Delt and was Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation, Dad joined the U.S. Navy and served as an officer in the Pacific. He was recalled during the Korean War and later taught for a year at Officer Candidate School in Newport.
In 1946, Dad married Phyllis Pease (daughter of Stuart Pease ’12) whom he had met at a dance when she was a Mount Holyoke freshman (and someone else’s date). They had nearly 60 wonderful years together until her death in 2005.
Answering a call from the father of Julian D’Este ’42, Dad joined the Jiffy Manufacturing Company in 1948. He spent his entire career with Jiffy, rising from salesman to president. After Dad retired, he and Phyllis moved from New Jersey to Connecticut. They spent 19 years in Old Saybrook with their “million-dollar” view over the Connecticut River. In 2004, they moved to Sarasota, Fla.
My father was a proud member of the “Hurricane Class.” He was deeply grateful for the education he received at Amherst, and he cherished the friendships made there throughout his life. He never missed a Reunion, and it was my privilege to accompany him to his 65th in 2007. Dad is survived by my sister, Katherine; my wife, Michele; grandchildren Benjamin, Abigail, and Nicholas; and his good friend Deni Seibert.
Dad loved his family, sailing, golf, travel, the Red Sox, histories and Amherst. He was a great father and a good man. All of us who knew and loved him will miss the Big Swede, and we thank him for the many grand memories.
—Bruce S. Johnson ’70