Mike Johnson
December 4, 1976 - March 24, 2015
Resident of San Jose
San Jose Police Officer Michael Johnson was killed in the line of duty on March 24, 2015 when he responded to a 911 call for help. He was only 38 years old.
Michael Jeremiah Johnson, "Mike" as he was affectionately known, was born on December 4, 1976. At the time he was born, Mike's dad, Daniel Johnson, was a military police officer for the United States Army and stationed at Herlong, California. After his dad was discharged from the Army, he joined the Calaveras County Sheriff's Department and Mike and his family moved to Wilseyville. After spending some time living in Vallecito and Angels Camp following his parents' divorce, Michael moved to South San Jose with his mom, Katherine Decker, and sister, Jamie Radack, in 1988.
Shortly after they moved to San Jose, Mike got his first job delivering newspapers on his bicycle for the San Jose Mercury News. Mike attended Gunderson High School and graduated in 1995. While in High School, Mike was the captain of the chess team and he excelled at math and science. He also began to study jujitsu, earning his black belt in 2008, and becoming a sensei ( teacher) at the dojo where he studied.
In 2001, Mike joined the San Jose Police Academy and graduated on June 15, 2001. During his 14 years with the San Jose Police Department, Mike worked as a Patrolman, Court Liaison, and Prescription Drug Fraud Specialist. At the time of his death, Mike had recently been promoted to Field Training Officer and assigned to the Covert Response Unit. Mike was a skilled marksman, winning numerous medals at the Police and Fire Games. Mike is going to be inducted into the Police and Fire Games Hall of Fame this year.
Mike and his wife, Nicole ("Nikki"), were married in a civil ceremony on August 3, 2013 and were planning a formal wedding ceremony and reception on August 29, 2015 in Santa Cruz, California. They planned to buy a home and settle in San Jose with their cat Seymour and their pug Willy. If Mike had his way, they were going to adopt a new puppy as well. Mike and Nikki knew for certain they also wanted to raise a family in San Jose.
Mike loved the community he served. He loved being a police officer and took great pride in working for the San Jose Police Department. He also loved to travel, scuba dive, play trivia, teach jujitsu to kids, go to the gun range, and spend time with his family and friends. Mike was a devoted husband, a loving son and grandson, an amazing brother, a doting uncle, and a loyal friend.
Mike is survived by his wife Nikki, his parents Daniel Johnson and Katherine Decker, his step-parents Dann Decker and Penny Johnson, his grandmother Frances Guillemin, his sister Jamie Radack, his brother-in-law Steve Radack, his niece Ami Radack, his nephew Eli Radack, his mother and father-in-law Susan and Antonio Chavez, and his sister and brother-in-law Gina and Jameson Stiehr and brother-in-law Danny Chavez.
A public memorial service will be held for Mike at the SAP Center in San Jose, California on Thursday, April 2, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.