Peter Byron Johnson

1970 - 2020

Peter Byron Johnson (Pete) passed away at Newton Memorial after a long illness on April 19, 2020. Pete was the free spirit of the Johnson clan, which mirrored those he looked up to in life, both within the family as well those he admired in the music industry. Pete will be remembered for his natural athletic talent, but more importantly the raw musical talent he expressed behind the drum kit. Pete literally took one drum lesson in his entire life, after which he returned and said, "I'm not playing the drums that way" and committed to a journey of self-musical discovery. Peter honed his skills by watching others, which included friends, famous artists and many times musicians that landed in both categories. The family's fondest memories of Pete will tie back to the amazing summers spent in Stone Harbor, NJ, which is a place where Pete blossomed as a childand when life was far less complicated. Many of Pete's life-long friends experienced the magic of Stone Harbor and would agree that Pete's infectious smile never left while he was on "7-Mile Island". The other time Pete's smile shined brightest was when he played with a number of bandmates over a 10-year career, many of which remained his closest friends and had his back up through the day he crossed over. In the later years, time with Pete was limited, but when available, he let all know that he cared deeply for everyone, and learned the feeling was mutual.His memory is held close by his longtime girlfriend Georgene Debenedetto who never left his side, his sister Noelle Paclawskyj and his niece Alexis Belote (predeceased by his brother-in-law Orest Paclawskyj), his brother Christopher, wife Wendy and nieces Morgan and Olivia. He was also predeceased by his parents, Lowell & Christina Johnson. And of course, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins, but most importantly his "brothers from another mother", all of which will know who they are when they read this very specific comment. Well done guys (and gals), he loved you all. We should all rest easy knowing that Pete is now sitting alongside his Mom and Dad, listening to his dearest friend Bill Keefe, who passed away in February, tell amazing stories with his distinctive laugh. We are sure that as Pete listens and shares, he's also eyeing up the perfect drum set that will make the heavens shake for years to come! In lieu of flowers, make the effort to never let days pass without telling friends & family that you love them.