Johnson’s loved ones remember him as an energetic, adventure-loving traveler, scholar, and friend.
“Allen was the type of person who was very, very generous,” said longtime friend Karla Brun. “His generosity first extended to his family. He began taking these adventures with his grandchildren, and he told me that he doesn’t think when he dies that he’ll have a lot of money to leave for his family, but the legacy of taking his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids on extravagant trips, and the memories they created together was what was important to him.”
Some of these adventures included kayaking in Iceland, rollerblading across Holland, biking across the Antarctic Circle, an African safari, multiple trips to Egypt, visits to Spain, Russia, and Sweden, and many more.
To celebrate his 85th birthday last year, Johnson organized an 85-mile bike ride with Brun and her husband, Carl, on the Creekside Trail beginning near Johnson’s Dayton home. A photo commemorating Johnson’s feat was published in the Dayton Daily News at the time.
Johnson was a regular presenter at Dayton Backpacker Campfire, Miami Valley Outdoor Club meetings and The Adventure Summit. He also presented at the Vandalia Senior Center and Friendship Village, a senior community, as well as numerous times for Dr. Seuss day in Dayton Public Schools and area Catholic grade schools.
Throughout all of his travels, Brun said, Johnson would write about his experiences, sparing no details, down to the clothes he packed with him, the foods he ate and cultural details of each location. In total, Johnson authored and published more than 30 books.
“Allen was very gentle, and he never knew an enemy,” Brun said. “He made friends with everybody; he was so social. He could easily engage with people and get them to talk about stories; he loved listening to stories and he loved telling them. He made you feel very important.”
Johnson was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria Johnson and son, Donald Johnson. He is survived by daughter Judith Johnson-Holliday, of Dayton; grandchildren: Paul Johnson and Tracy Johnson, of Perryville, Missouri; Kelsey Erickson, Emily Holliday and Jessica Holliday, of Dayton; and many other family, friends and loved ones.
A public visitation/celebration of life will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21, at Living Waters Lutheran Church in Washington Twp. Johnson will be laid to rest at Dayton National Cemetery with services in care of Tobias Funeral Home.
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