Robert Norman Johnson was born on 28 May 1937, in Richmond, VA, and grew up in Henrico County, VA, graduating from Hermitage High School. He achieved much in school and in his community: attained academic excellence; served in church youth activities; attained the rank of Eagle Scout; elected to class offices and student government offices; played high school basketball and football; won forensic competitions; elected governor of Virginia’s Boys State; voted by his senior classmates Most Likely to Succeed; and selected as speaker at his graduation ceremony.
Robert met the challenges of West Point academics and military instruction, balancing concentrated study time with time spent in various diversions. He found the camaraderie with his roommates and other K-1 company mates to be a prized diversion. His roommate Phil Croel recalls, “Bob was not your stodgy, ‘bookwormish’ type. He was a fun guy who didn’t hesitate to contribute to some pranks and after dark shenanigans.” Phil summed up Robert’s character with “integrity.” Says Phil, “This word wraps up the concept of character, honesty, loyalty, love, commitment, and devotion in one person...and I think Bob had it.”
After graduation, Robert began his military service with his bride Anne, who had been his high school sweetheart. Robert served first in the Artillery branch, then in Ordnance, and finally in JAG. His transfer into JAG came about through unusual efforts. Although it was not the Army’s plan to send him to law school, Robert was allowed to take excess unpaid leave time to complete law studies on his own. After graduating from the law school of the University of Richmond and passing the Virginia Bar, he was assigned to the JAG School in Charlottesville, VA. By this time, he and Anne had a family of three children: Deborah, Anne-Marie, and Robert, Jr. Robert was a devoted family man.
During his tour of duty in Viet Nam, to help his children cope with his absence from home, Robert tape recorded himself reading bedtime stories and mailed the tapes home for the children to hear nightly.
In 1970, Robert left the Army and returned to Virginia to practice law. He achieved a distinguished career in civil law and criminal law, enhanced by service to the community and to his church. In his criminal law practice he deeply believed that anyone charged with a crime was entitled to competent legal representation, and he represented indigent defendants in an average of 100 court-appointed cases a year. Some defendants were charged with capital murder. He also served as a Commissioner in Chancery for the Circuit Courts in the City of Richmond and in the County of Henrico. As a commissioner, he was appointed by Circuit Court judges to hear the evidence in civil suits and then to make recommendations of findings to the judges.
In 1976, Robert was elected to the Henrico County Board of Supervisors, having been encouraged to run by citizens concerned that important issues were not being adequately addressed. Robert’s intention was to serve one term and accomplish important work in that time, and that was what he did. During his term, he was a fearless advocate for various projects to benefit citizens of the county. He was instrumental in extending water and sewer services to a portion of the county where residents’ needs had been neglected. He was instrumental in establishing the county’s Recreation and Parks Department. He also served on the county’s Planning Commission, its Welfare Board, and its Parks and Recreation Commission.
Robert was a natural advocate, communicator, and educator. His inclination to educate manifested itself throughout his military career and civilian careers. Having learned computer programming during his Ordnance training, he taught that skill in several university-level courses. He was an instructor in military affairs at the Judge Advocate General’s School at the University of Virginia. He was an instructor of the Federal Tort Claims Act at the Practicing Law Institute in Washington, DC. For a number of years, he taught various courses at the University of Richmond. He was adjunct professor of law at that university’s T. C. Williams School of Law, teaching Local Government Law. He also taught classes in the Richmond Bar Review Course. He was instructor of Criminal Law at that university’s School of Continuing Education. He taught classes in Criminal Law, Criminal Appeals, and Domestic Relations in the Continuing Legal Education Series in Richmond, VA. His article titled “Electronic Data Processing and the Judge Advocate” was published in the Military Law Review; and his article titled “The Federal Tort Claims Act: A Substantive Survey” was published in the University of Richmond Law Review.
Robert’s inclination to teach and his devotion to family combined to achieve a unique claim to fame. He tutored three family members in succession in Virginia’s Law Reader Program. Robert first tutored his wife Anne. After Anne passed the Virginia Bar, their son graduated from college and was approved to “read law” with Robert. When their son completed his study and passed the Virginia Bar, Robert next tutored their son-in-law Derek, who also passed the Virginia Bar. Robert took much pleasure and pride in practicing law with his wife, their son, and their son-in-law.
Although Robert had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease at the age of 42 and had undergone bypass surgery twice, he was feeling fine at age 62 and he had an optimistic outlook on life. He found great joy in the children and grandchildren who had enriched his and Anne’s life: Deborah and her husband David, and their two children, Jacob Robert and Sally Metzger; Anne-Marie and her husband Derek; and Robert, Jr., and his wife Mary Kay. Robert would have been ecstatic had he lived to experience the births of three more grandchildren: Philip Atticus born to Anne-Marie and Derek, and Grace Claire and Maddox Robert, born to Robert, Jr., and Mary Kay. Robert’s fatal heart attack on 4 Oct 1999 came suddenly and unexpectedly. On 9 October, Robert’s life was honored in a memorial service at Camp Concert Hall at the University or Richmond. The eulogy speakers were his oldest daughter, Deborah; Jim DeMent, a West Point classmate (Company E-2); and two Richmond judges. Taps was played by Melville A. Drisko ’58 (COL, Ret.) (Company K-1).
—Family, friends and classmates