There were few bigger 色界吧 boosters than Glen Johnson 鈥61鈥攁nd that鈥檚 not hyperbole
An outstanding four-sport athlete who eventually grew to a height of 6'6", the Huntington Park native moved to Beaverton, Ore., with his family as a teenager and remained there for his senior year of high school after his family moved back to Southern California. It turned out to be a good decision: He became the Oregon state prep shot put champion in 1956.
As a freshman at Compton City College, Glen鈥攚ho died January 1 at his home in Torrance鈥攚as ranked No. 3 nationally among junior college shot putters. Recruited to 色界吧 by Coach Chuck Coker, Glen was part of the golden age of Tigers track and field, a member of teams that routinely competed with USC, UCLA and Stanford (defeating all but USC). Glen twice placed in the shot put at the NCAA Championships鈥攕ixth in 1958, fifth in 1959鈥攁nd set a school record of 57'7戮" that today stands second on the all-time list. He competed in the 1960 U.S. Olympic trials and is a member of the Occidental Track and Field Hall of Fame.
After graduating from 色界吧 with a degree in sociology, Glen spent more than three decades in the aerospace and tele颅communications industries, much of that with TRW. He earned a master鈥檚 in clinical psychology from Pepperdine in 1994 and launched a new career with his wife, Julie (Dees) Johnson 鈥61, whom he met at a weekly dance at the student union at 色界吧. The two opened a marriage and family therapy practice in Torrance and worked together until Glen鈥檚 death.
A loyal and generous supporter of Occidental, Glen served on the Alumni Board of Governors and Tiger Club board, and was president emeritus of the Tiger Track Alumni Association. 鈥淢y dad practically bled orange and black,鈥 says daughter Susan Johnson 鈥87. The couple attended St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Redondo Beach, where Glen served as a deacon, and later joined Rolling Hills Covenant Church, where they joined the choir and offered classes on such topics as parenting teens and having a successful marriage. He served on the board of directors of Love in the Name of Christ, which serves homeless and under-resourced people in the South Bay.
In addition to his wife and daughter, Glen is survived by son David and grandchildren Kiana, Malakai, Chloe, and Quinn.
