ObituaryEdward Johnson

Photo of Edward R. ‘Ed’ JohnsonEdward R. ‘Ed’ Johnson, 72, died April 25. Johnson was director of libraries at North Texas from 1979 to 1987 and an adjunct faculty member in library and information sciences. He was a graduate of the University of Colorado and earned master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin. At North Texas, he was responsible for the libraries at a time when the card catalog was being computerized and the Rare Book Room opened. He also worked at the University of Colorado, the University of Iowa and Pennsylvania State University, and he retired from Oklahoma State University, where he was Doris Neustadt Professor and dean of libraries. He published several journal articles and two books and was active in the Texas Library Association, where he was a member of the executive board, and the Oklahoma Library Association, which he served as president. OLA gave him its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, in 2004 and honored him as a Library Legend during the state’s 2007 centennial celebrations. He loved fishing, especially fly-fishing, and was interested in Southwest history and archaeology.