Harry Isaac Johnson

Dr. Harry Isaac Johnson, Jr. Obituary Dr. Harry I. Johnson, Jr., of Roanoke, Virginia, passed away at the age of 97 on November 13, 2024. Born in Salem on April 26, 1927, he was the son of the late Harry Isaac Johnson, Sr. and Rosalie Marker Johnson. He was an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. His father had been the Chair of the Roanoke College Chemistry Department, where he worked as a professor for 25 years. Harry Jr. graduated from Roanoke College in 1948 with a Bachelor of Science degree, where he was an active member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He went on to earn his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the Medical College of Virginia in 1953.Dr. Johnson had a distinguished career in both medicine and military service. His military career began when he enlisted in 1944 in the U.S. Navy during World War II, where he was an electrician’s mate, beginning in 1945. Harry served on the battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64), among other vessels and bases. He continued to serve after the war, through college and medical school, after which he was commissioned as an officer. Harry ultimately served in the U.S. Naval Reserve Medical Corps, with his total time in service spanning 42 years. In 1987, he retired with the rank of Captain. For his exemplary service, Captain Johnson was awarded the Naval Commendation Medal.A dedicated physician, Dr. Johnson practiced internal medicine in private practice from 1957 until 1993, after which he continued as a physician at Carilion Healthcare Corporation until 2000 when he retired. He was a member of the Internal Medicine Physicians of Southwest Virginia and served as Chief of Medical Services at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. For 20 years, he also served as the Medical Director of the Appalachian Blood Center. Dr. Johnson was an active member of several professional organizations, including the Southwest Virginia Medical Society, the Medical Society of Virginia, the American Medical Association, and the American Society of Internal Medicine. In 1976, he received the Heart Association Service Recognition Medal.Dr. Johnson was a passionate alumnus of both Roanoke College and the Medical College of Virginia. He served as a member of the School of Medicine Advisory Council at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where he also held the position of president of the Medical College of Virginia Alumni Association. From 1988 to 1996, Dr. Johnson served two terms on the VCU Board of Visitors. He also served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Roanoke College. He was honored as a Lifetime Distinguished Associate and was a proud member of the Society of 1842. He received the Charles M. Caravati Award for Outstanding Alumni Service from the Medical College of Virginia Alumni Association, as well as the Wayne Medal for Exemplary Service to VCU. In 1991, he was awarded the Roanoke College Medal for his distinguished service to his profession and community. In addition to his many accomplishments, Dr. Johnson was a philanthropist, establishing numerous scholarships at Roanoke College. His favorite hobby was gardening, especially seeing flowers grow and cultivating huge volumes of tomatoes, which his neighbors enjoyed over the years. He loved a good joke and spending time with friends and family.Dr. Johnson was the president of the Johnson Family Investment Corporation in Roanoke, Virginia, and traveled extensively during his life. His journeys took him to destinations around the world, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, India, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. For the last five decades of his life, he spent portions of his winters in Santa Marta, Colombia, where he and his wife developed deep ties to the community.Harry was predeceased by his dearly beloved wife, Jolene Louis Toth Johnson, as well as his parents and sister, Alda Ruth Johnson Graupner. He is survived by his two sons, Harry I. Johnson III and Scott J. Johnson, along with four grandchildren: Sophia, Natalia, Adair, and Julius. His eldest son, Harry III, a Harvard Law School graduate and former member of the National Labor Relations Board, resides in Pacific Palisades, California. His younger son, Scott, an economist and graduate of the Wharton School of Business, lives in Milton, Massachusetts. Harry was a devoted father and grandfather, deeply loved by his family, and he will be missed by all who knew him.A celebration of Harry’s life will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 10 – 11 a.m. at the John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home in Salem, located at 305 Roanoke Boulevard. The funeral service will begin promptly at 11 a.m., with Fr. Ned Morris officiating. The interment will immediately follow at Sherwood Memorial Park in Salem, where military funeral honors will be rendered by the U.S. Navy.The service will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person by visiting his obituary on the funeral home’s website and visiting the tribute wall.Online condolences may be expressed at www.johnmoakey.com.