Obituary: Kenneth Johnson, 71, of Waterford

WATERFORD, CT - (From Neilan Funeral Home) Kenneth “Ken” David Johnson, 71, a high school English teacher whose passion and skill in the classroom touched thousands of students over nearly four decades, died at his home March 29, 2020.
For 38 years, Ken inspired students to appreciate literature, think critically and write eloquently.

As a member of the English department at Ledyard High School, he earned a reputation as an outstanding and gifted teacher. Famously funny and engaging, he was a favorite among students; a smart and demanding teacher who also “made learning fun.”

Over the years, he received countless letters from students expressing their gratitude for his inspiration and guidance, sometimes crediting him with changing their lives. A fellow teacher recently wrote that he’d never had a colleague whom he admired more; a sentiment echoed by many others.

Born in New London to the late Percival and Doris (Laing) Johnson, Ken grew up in Waterford, graduating from Waterford High School in 1966. There, he met Rosemary Bonser, whom he married in 1970. They raised two children together and remained steadfast partners for the next fifty years. The first of his family to attend college, Ken earned his bachelor’s degree from Trinity College in 1970, and master’s degree in teaching from Connecticut College in 1973.

Ken was a man of varied talents and interests. He seemed able to do anything with his hands. An excellent athlete in his youth, he stood out as a pass receiver on the football field. A college teammate recalled, “If he could touch a pass he would catch it.” In his twenties, Ken studied piano in earnest and played beautifully, often spending weeks perfecting a challenging piece.

In his thirties, he took on major renovations to the family’s 1917 New London home, teaching himself the many skills necessary to the task, even recreating detailed original woodwork. Friends stopping by the house might find him fixing the kitchen sink, or just as likely, at the piano playing a Bach fugue.
Outgoing and adventurous, Ken was always ready to try something new. One of the highlights of his life was a year spent in York, England, tending bar at a local pub, while Rosemary pursued graduate work.

A consummate storyteller by nature, he had a talent for acting and participated in community theatre for many years. He was an avid fisherman; little made him happier than a day on a stream fly fishing with a friend or catching a striper from the rocks of the Connecticut shoreline. He shared his love of the outdoors with his children; some of their fondest memories are of annual hiking trips with their dad in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Ken was known for his warmth, wit, intelligence and phenomenal memory. With his deep, resonant voice, he was a presence in any room. When asked what they will remember about Ken, nearly everyone recalls that he always kept us laughing. Even in recent years, in the face of a debilitating illness, he displayed remarkable grace and fortitude, never losing his sense of humor and gratitude for all his good fortune. He will be terribly missed.

In addition to his wife Rosemary, he leaves his son Matthew and his wife Letitia Johnson and their three children of Boston; and his daughter Emily and her partner Timothy Viltz and their daughter of New York City. He is also survived by his sister Nancy Courtney; and sister-in-law Barbara Johnson, both of Waterford.

He was predeceased by his brother Robert Johnson. He also leaves Rosemary’s family, whom he embraced as his own: his mother-in-law Edith Bonser of Waterford; brother-in-law Charles Bonser of New London; and sisters-in-law Kathleen McCurdy of East Lyme, Carol Hoots of Florida and Jacqueline Hausman of Plainville, and their families; and he leaves behind many dear friends. The family welcomes donations in Ken’s memory to the ALS Association of CT, at www.alsact.org, or to the ALS Soccer Cup, Mathew Green, 300 State Street, New London, CT 06320. A memorial service will be held at a later date.