Robert Earl Johnson

Robert Earl Johnson (Bob, to many) passed away peacefully on Sunday afternoon, December 7th, 2025, with family by his side. Born on April 9th, 1932, he was 93 years of age. In those many years, he used his gifts and talents to positively impact the people in his life and the communities where he lived.

He was born in Texarkana, Arkansas to parents Autrey Ben Johnson and Della Mae Washington. He was one of eight siblings who mostly preceded him in death, Autrey Ben, Jr. (aka Sonny), June Dale (aka J.D.), Ben Allen, Parnella, Brenda (Brumfield), Booker T., and Gladys (aka Doll). His sister Brenda is now the sole survivor of all of the siblings.

Robert graduated from Washington High School in Texarkana in 1949. He played football and played saxophone for his high school band. He married his first wife, Vertis

at age 17, right after high school graduation and his first daughter, Patricia, was born the following year.They divorced when Vertis decided to take Patricia to live in California. He was adored by his surviving granddaughters from this marriage, Sonya (Turner) and Norleisha (Cannon), great grandson, Alexander Turner and his children,

Braxton and Zahra; great granddaughter, Cydni Turner; and great grandson, Morgan Cannon.

In 1954 he earned his Bachelor of Science in pre-medical sciences from Arkansas AM&N, Pine Bluff, AK, where he was also a full four-year football scholar. He remained

in the area and taught high school math and sciences, and coached boys' and girls' football and basketball, before moving to Gary, Indiana.

While in college, he met Docia Joyce Lawson and they dated until she moved to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue her MSW at Atlanta University. After he stopped hearing from her, and for fear of losing her to another suitor, he traveled to Atlanta to propose, and they immediately got married (1956). He and Joyce raised three children, Joan, Keith (Maria Fe) and David. Their first child, Charlotte Rose, born in 1957, lived for only a few weeks. Robert was beloved by his other set of grandchildren by Keith and Fe, Angelo, Leanna, Leilani, and Angelina.

In the early years of his marriage with Joyce, they lived and worked in Gary, Indiana. Robert worked as a chemist at United Steel. Joyce was doing casework in East Chicago. She was a major influence in his decision to pursue his master's in social work. In the mid-60's, he moved the family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to attend the University of

Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he earned his MSW in 1969. During the 1970s, he spent additional years in UWM's Doctoral program for Social Work Administration in the School of Social Welfare, where he also served as an administrator and instructor.

In the 1980s and 90s, he served as a Mental Health Emergency Services Clinician at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex, from where he retired in 1995.

Post-retirement, he and business partner Art Noble founded Milwaukee Mental Health Services, a social service agency with licensing as a Community Support Program. They focused on helping people recover from chemical dependency and substance abuse. Robert was well into his 80's before his staff asked him to please retire in 2016.

Robert lived and breathed the social service ethic and wanted to support other professionals in the field by serving as a charter member and initial President of the

Wisconsin Association of Black Social Workers (WABSW), affiliate of the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) throughout the 1970's and 80's. He also served on the Milwaukee Christian Center Board for over 10 years during that same time period.

With all the aforementioned activities, he had a broad network of friends and allies. Those in his inner circle spent a lot of time with him out in the community supporting

local artists such as musicians, poets and performance artists. He loved live music, especially jazz, and shared that passion with close friends and family.

He was a great supporter of education and intentionally selected a general practitioner who mentored medical students in their residencies. He loved the concept of teaching hospitals and did his part to help students. That motivated him to offer his body to science as a donor for the Medical College of Wisconsin's Anatomical Gift Registry.

After 40 years living in an apartment on 60th and North Avenue in Wauwatosa, Robert was moved to memory care at Lutheran Home, where he received the best possible

care from an outstanding care team and lived with dignity since 2019. He was very fortunate to be an inaugural resident of Elaine's Hope, a new part of the facility devoted to memory care that opened soon after his arrival. In meetings with staff, they always cited his interest in helping his fellow residents who were less fortunate than he. In that spirit, we ask that any donations in his memory be designated for Repairers of the Breach, P.O. Box 05648, Milwaukee, WI, 53205.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Robert Earl Johnson is planned for Saturday, April 11, 2026. To receive updates on final details, please send a message to us at

rejohnsonmemorial@gmail.com.

Church & Chapel Funeral Service Serving the Family

Milw. 262-827-0659 Wauk. 262-549-0659

Online Obit, Condolences, Directions

www.churchandchapel.com