Larry Johnson

1940 - 2019

03/31/1940 - 12/27/2019 Larry Leslie Johnson, 79, passed away in Alexandra, VA on Dec. 27, 2019. Larry was born in San Diego in March 1940. A lifelong resident of Southern California, he grew up in Manhattan Beach and attended Mira Costa High School and the University of Southern California, Los Angeles (UCLA) before embarking on a career in social work. Through his job, he met his future wife, Judith Johnson, a fellow social worker who shared his love of music and theater. They would go on to be married 53 years. After his Master's degree from the University of Chicago, they settling in Pasadena, home for nearly 50 years. Larry's career progressed from social work to eventually becoming a key administrator in Los Angeles County, playing an integral role in the county's homeless project. After retiring from the county in 1989, he joined Union Station Foundation (a homeless shelter in Pasadena) as clinical director, where he spent 25 years. In his spare professional time, Larry also had a private therapy practice for those less fortunate. After retiring, he worked as a docent at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena. Outside of work, Larry was an avid birdwatcher, traveling the globe to find new and unusual birds to add to lengthy lists. He made countless friends in the pursuit of those birds. Larry loved reading from an early age as well as music. Larry also traveled at every opportunity, venturing to all seven continents and to a hard-to-calculate number of countries. Larry enjoyed time alone, and journaled copiously. Larry is preceded in death by his mother, father, and younger sister, Lynda. He is survived by his wife Judy, son Eric, daughter-in-law Shivani, grandson Rehaan (whom he adored endlessly), brother-in-law Mike, and niece Laura. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his honor to: - Union Station Homeless Services at 626-240-4557 or email giving@unionstationhs.org OR Pasadena Audubon Society at 626 355 9412 or email lbrunet@pasadenaaudubon.org Memorial services will be held at 1 pm on Feb. 15 at Eaton Canyon Nature Center, 1750 N Altadena Dr, Pasadena, CA 91107.