Edward Patrick Johnson
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Dr. Edward Patrick Johnson of Charlotte, NC died in the early morning hours of January 26. He was 80 years old. Predeceased by his wife Bentha Self Johnson and brother, Phillip, he is survived by his second wife, Carolyn Patterson Tolson and his three children Edward Johnson, Gannon Johnson Ward, Paula Johnson Smith, their husbands David Ward and Matt Smith, his grandchildren Katherine,Lillian, Hannah, and Owen and his siblings Paul, Mary, Frank, Greg and Harry.
Born in Jackson, Michigan to parents Mary and Paul Johnson, his family moved South in the 1940s and Ed spent his boyhood and adolescence in Gastonia. The eldest of seven, his siblings remember him as a stern but ardent protector, a lover of the outdoors, model making, chemistry, and language. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he enrolled in the Navy's OCS serving in Vietnam and aboard the USS Edisto in the Antarctic, achieving the rank of Lt. Commander. Upon leaving the military, he taught chemistry at Quail Hollow Junior High School in Charlotte.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania's School of Dental Medicine in 1972, Ed returned to Charlotte where he established himself in a private practice that spanned four decades. He also volunteered his medical skills to the area's poor and underserved, and continued to do so following his professional retirement in 2010. He was an active member of the Charlotte Cannonballs Cycling Team, a racket ball player, skydiver and amateur aviator; the wide scope of his interests also included a devotion to landscaping, classical music, winemaking, and literature. A book was always at his bedside. He was a member of St. Margaret's Episcopal Church.
The last years of his life were not without amazing bright spots: traveling to Europe, Australia, Scandinavia, Russia, Poland; his marriage to Carolyn - the love and constant companionship who shared his love of adventure, gardening, the symphony, and travel. Beneath his sometimes brusque exterior was a genuine, abiding love for and generosity towards other people. He will be greatly missed by all who had a chance to know him. He never tired of bragging on the happiness that Carolyn brought into his life or his grandchildren.
Special thanks and deep appreciation to the staff at the Haven and Hospice of Greater Charlotte for the loving care they gave to Ed.
A memorial service with private burial will be planned at a later date - due to the current pandemic. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lancaster Cultural Arts Center, 1859 Craig Farm Road, Lancaster,SC 29720 or First United Methodist Church, POBox 608 Lancaster, SC 29720.