Dr. Melvin F. Johnson Jr.
SHREVEPORT, LA - A memorial service to celebrate the rich life of Dr. Melvin F. Johnson, Jr., Mel, will be held at St. Mark's Cathedral on Friday, November 12, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. First Presbyterian Church ministers Rev. Pen Peery and Rev. Bryan McDowell will officiate.
Mel died of complications from Alzheimer's on the morning of October 31, 2010. He was born in Shreveport on November 16, 1924, to Melvin and Dorothy Johnson. He attended the newly formed Southfield School, which was founded by his mother and others in his family living room. He later attended Byrd High School and Metairie Country Day. He graduated in 1946 from Dartmouth College and immediately entered Dartmouth Medical School as a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve. He finished medical school at Tulane. He completed his residency at Charity Hospital and Tulane in internal medicine, with extra training in tuberculosis and pulmonary disease. However, his training was interrupted when he was called up to serve as a Navy physician during the Korean War. He was stationed in Tokyo where he fell in love with the Japanese culture. Upon his return, in 1952, he married Lea Morton who had moved to Shreveport from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to teach at Southfield School. They lived briefly in California and then moved to New Orleans where Melvin finished his residency.
Mel and Lea moved back to Shreveport where Mel set up his medical practice in internal medicine. Mel practiced next door to and was closely connected to Schumpert Hospital his entire medical career. But he also worked at P&S Hospital and used his special knowledge of tuberculosis at the Pines Sanatorium. When he moved into his new office on Margaret Place in the mid-1950s, he set up a single waiting room for both races, a progressive idea in those days. His extended medical career was one of listening, caring, and treatment skill. His patients loved him. Each February and March, he would carry his signature trays full of camellia blossoms from his garden and distribute them during his hospital rounds. Mel was part of the team that founded the LSU Medical School here and he retired from the U.S. Navy Reserve with the rank of Commander.
Mel was a passionate supporter of music, especially opera, throughout his adult life and a long-time tenor in the Sanctuary Choir of his beloved First Presbyterian Church. He read voraciously, loved telling stories, gardening, eating, singing, dancing, scuba diving, movies, Shreveport Opera and Shreveport Symphony performances, as well as local theatrical productions--especially those by the local Gilbert and Sullivan Society. He enjoyed traveling overseas with close friends and with the Centenary College Choir and regularly to Casco Bay in Maine with family. He was very active with the local Master Gardeners chapter and worked as a dedicated volunteer with both Sci-Port and Meals-on-Wheels.
Mel, known by many simply as "Doc", savored every bite of the feast of life with never-ending curiosity, but humbly and constantly gave of himself. He was a compassionate man with a deep Christian faith, which imbued all aspects of his personal and professional life. Everywhere he went his ever-present wide smile was contagious.
Melvin was preceded in death by his parents Melvin F. Johnson and Dorothy Israel Johnson, his sister, Dorothy ("Dot") Johnson Fleming, her husband, Gene Fleming, and their son, David. He is survived by Lea, his wife of 58 years; his children, Eric Johnson and wife Kathryn of Savannah, GA; Neil Johnson and wife Cindy of Shreveport; Margo Johnson Williams and husband Larry of Alexandria, VA; nephew, Arthur Fleming and wife Leann; niece, Carol Fleming Marks and husband Larry; grandchildren, Righton, Marcus, Bradford, Hannah, Lea, Anne, and Sara.
The family suggests gifts and memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church or to Shreveport Opera.
SHREVEPORT, LA - A memorial service to celebrate the rich life of Dr. Melvin F. Johnson, Jr., Mel, will be held at St. Mark's Cathedral on Friday, November 12, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. First Presbyterian Church ministers Rev. Pen Peery and Rev. Bryan McDowell will officiate.
Mel died of complications from Alzheimer's on the morning of October 31, 2010. He was born in Shreveport on November 16, 1924, to Melvin and Dorothy Johnson. He attended the newly formed Southfield School, which was founded by his mother and others in his family living room. He later attended Byrd High School and Metairie Country Day. He graduated in 1946 from Dartmouth College and immediately entered Dartmouth Medical School as a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve. He finished medical school at Tulane. He completed his residency at Charity Hospital and Tulane in internal medicine, with extra training in tuberculosis and pulmonary disease. However, his training was interrupted when he was called up to serve as a Navy physician during the Korean War. He was stationed in Tokyo where he fell in love with the Japanese culture. Upon his return, in 1952, he married Lea Morton who had moved to Shreveport from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to teach at Southfield School. They lived briefly in California and then moved to New Orleans where Melvin finished his residency.
Mel and Lea moved back to Shreveport where Mel set up his medical practice in internal medicine. Mel practiced next door to and was closely connected to Schumpert Hospital his entire medical career. But he also worked at P&S Hospital and used his special knowledge of tuberculosis at the Pines Sanatorium. When he moved into his new office on Margaret Place in the mid-1950s, he set up a single waiting room for both races, a progressive idea in those days. His extended medical career was one of listening, caring, and treatment skill. His patients loved him. Each February and March, he would carry his signature trays full of camellia blossoms from his garden and distribute them during his hospital rounds. Mel was part of the team that founded the LSU Medical School here and he retired from the U.S. Navy Reserve with the rank of Commander.
Mel was a passionate supporter of music, especially opera, throughout his adult life and a long-time tenor in the Sanctuary Choir of his beloved First Presbyterian Church. He read voraciously, loved telling stories, gardening, eating, singing, dancing, scuba diving, movies, Shreveport Opera and Shreveport Symphony performances, as well as local theatrical productions--especially those by the local Gilbert and Sullivan Society. He enjoyed traveling overseas with close friends and with the Centenary College Choir and regularly to Casco Bay in Maine with family. He was very active with the local Master Gardeners chapter and worked as a dedicated volunteer with both Sci-Port and Meals-on-Wheels.
Mel, known by many simply as "Doc", savored every bite of the feast of life with never-ending curiosity, but humbly and constantly gave of himself. He was a compassionate man with a deep Christian faith, which imbued all aspects of his personal and professional life. Everywhere he went his ever-present wide smile was contagious.
Melvin was preceded in death by his parents Melvin F. Johnson and Dorothy Israel Johnson, his sister, Dorothy ("Dot") Johnson Fleming, her husband, Gene Fleming, and their son, David. He is survived by Lea, his wife of 58 years; his children, Eric Johnson and wife Kathryn of Savannah, GA; Neil Johnson and wife Cindy of Shreveport; Margo Johnson Williams and husband Larry of Alexandria, VA; nephew, Arthur Fleming and wife Leann; niece, Carol Fleming Marks and husband Larry; grandchildren, Righton, Marcus, Bradford, Hannah, Lea, Anne, and Sara.
The family suggests gifts and memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church or to Shreveport Opera.
Dr. Melvin F. Johnson Jr.
SHREVEPORT, LA - A memorial service to celebrate the rich life of Dr. Melvin F. Johnson, Jr., Mel, will be held at St. Mark's Cathedral on Friday, November 12, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. First Presbyterian Church ministers Rev. Pen Peery and Rev. Bryan McDowell will officiate.
Mel died of complications from Alzheimer's on the morning of October 31, 2010. He was born in Shreveport on November 16, 1924, to Melvin and Dorothy Johnson. He attended the newly formed Southfield School, which was founded by his mother and others in his family living room. He later attended Byrd High School and Metairie Country Day. He graduated in 1946 from Dartmouth College and immediately entered Dartmouth Medical School as a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve. He finished medical school at Tulane. He completed his residency at Charity Hospital and Tulane in internal medicine, with extra training in tuberculosis and pulmonary disease. However, his training was interrupted when he was called up to serve as a Navy physician during the Korean War. He was stationed in Tokyo where he fell in love with the Japanese culture. Upon his return, in 1952, he married Lea Morton who had moved to Shreveport from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to teach at Southfield School. They lived briefly in California and then moved to New Orleans where Melvin finished his residency.
Mel and Lea moved back to Shreveport where Mel set up his medical practice in internal medicine. Mel practiced next door to and was closely connected to Schumpert Hospital his entire medical career. But he also worked at P&S Hospital and used his special knowledge of tuberculosis at the Pines Sanatorium. When he moved into his new office on Margaret Place in the mid-1950s, he set up a single waiting room for both races, a progressive idea in those days. His extended medical career was one of listening, caring, and treatment skill. His patients loved him. Each February and March, he would carry his signature trays full of camellia blossoms from his garden and distribute them during his hospital rounds. Mel was part of the team that founded the LSU Medical School here and he retired from the U.S. Navy Reserve with the rank of Commander.
Mel was a passionate supporter of music, especially opera, throughout his adult life and a long-time tenor in the Sanctuary Choir of his beloved First Presbyterian Church. He read voraciously, loved telling stories, gardening, eating, singing, dancing, scuba diving, movies, Shreveport Opera and Shreveport Symphony performances, as well as local theatrical productions--especially those by the local Gilbert and Sullivan Society. He enjoyed traveling overseas with close friends and with the Centenary College Choir and regularly to Casco Bay in Maine with family. He was very active with the local Master Gardeners chapter and worked as a dedicated volunteer with both Sci-Port and Meals-on-Wheels.
Mel, known by many simply as "Doc", savored every bite of the feast of life with never-ending curiosity, but humbly and constantly gave of himself. He was a compassionate man with a deep Christian faith, which imbued all aspects of his personal and professional life. Everywhere he went his ever-present wide smile was contagious.
Melvin was preceded in death by his parents Melvin F. Johnson and Dorothy Israel Johnson, his sister, Dorothy ("Dot") Johnson Fleming, her husband, Gene Fleming, and their son, David. He is survived by Lea, his wife of 58 years; his children, Eric Johnson and wife Kathryn of Savannah, GA; Neil Johnson and wife Cindy of Shreveport; Margo Johnson Williams and husband Larry of Alexandria, VA; nephew, Arthur Fleming and wife Leann; niece, Carol Fleming Marks and husband Larry; grandchildren, Righton, Marcus, Bradford, Hannah, Lea, Anne, and Sara.
The family suggests gifts and memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church or to Shreveport Opera.
SHREVEPORT, LA - A memorial service to celebrate the rich life of Dr. Melvin F. Johnson, Jr., Mel, will be held at St. Mark's Cathedral on Friday, November 12, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. First Presbyterian Church ministers Rev. Pen Peery and Rev. Bryan McDowell will officiate.
Mel died of complications from Alzheimer's on the morning of October 31, 2010. He was born in Shreveport on November 16, 1924, to Melvin and Dorothy Johnson. He attended the newly formed Southfield School, which was founded by his mother and others in his family living room. He later attended Byrd High School and Metairie Country Day. He graduated in 1946 from Dartmouth College and immediately entered Dartmouth Medical School as a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve. He finished medical school at Tulane. He completed his residency at Charity Hospital and Tulane in internal medicine, with extra training in tuberculosis and pulmonary disease. However, his training was interrupted when he was called up to serve as a Navy physician during the Korean War. He was stationed in Tokyo where he fell in love with the Japanese culture. Upon his return, in 1952, he married Lea Morton who had moved to Shreveport from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to teach at Southfield School. They lived briefly in California and then moved to New Orleans where Melvin finished his residency.
Mel and Lea moved back to Shreveport where Mel set up his medical practice in internal medicine. Mel practiced next door to and was closely connected to Schumpert Hospital his entire medical career. But he also worked at P&S Hospital and used his special knowledge of tuberculosis at the Pines Sanatorium. When he moved into his new office on Margaret Place in the mid-1950s, he set up a single waiting room for both races, a progressive idea in those days. His extended medical career was one of listening, caring, and treatment skill. His patients loved him. Each February and March, he would carry his signature trays full of camellia blossoms from his garden and distribute them during his hospital rounds. Mel was part of the team that founded the LSU Medical School here and he retired from the U.S. Navy Reserve with the rank of Commander.
Mel was a passionate supporter of music, especially opera, throughout his adult life and a long-time tenor in the Sanctuary Choir of his beloved First Presbyterian Church. He read voraciously, loved telling stories, gardening, eating, singing, dancing, scuba diving, movies, Shreveport Opera and Shreveport Symphony performances, as well as local theatrical productions--especially those by the local Gilbert and Sullivan Society. He enjoyed traveling overseas with close friends and with the Centenary College Choir and regularly to Casco Bay in Maine with family. He was very active with the local Master Gardeners chapter and worked as a dedicated volunteer with both Sci-Port and Meals-on-Wheels.
Mel, known by many simply as "Doc", savored every bite of the feast of life with never-ending curiosity, but humbly and constantly gave of himself. He was a compassionate man with a deep Christian faith, which imbued all aspects of his personal and professional life. Everywhere he went his ever-present wide smile was contagious.
Melvin was preceded in death by his parents Melvin F. Johnson and Dorothy Israel Johnson, his sister, Dorothy ("Dot") Johnson Fleming, her husband, Gene Fleming, and their son, David. He is survived by Lea, his wife of 58 years; his children, Eric Johnson and wife Kathryn of Savannah, GA; Neil Johnson and wife Cindy of Shreveport; Margo Johnson Williams and husband Larry of Alexandria, VA; nephew, Arthur Fleming and wife Leann; niece, Carol Fleming Marks and husband Larry; grandchildren, Righton, Marcus, Bradford, Hannah, Lea, Anne, and Sara.
The family suggests gifts and memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church or to Shreveport Opera.
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