Pathbreaking jurist, community leader
The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that The Honorable Justin Morris Johnson, retired Judge of the Pennsylvania Superior Court and respected community leader, died on Oct. 29, after a long battle with congestive heart failure. He was 88.
Born on Aug. 19, 1933, in Wilkinsburg, to Irene Olive Morris Johnson and Oliver Livingstone Johnson, Judge Johnson received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1954. There, he graduated with a Bond Medal.
During his time in Chicago as an undergraduate, he met Florence Elizabeth Lester. Judge Johnson was fond of telling the story of how much he admired Florence Lester’s “perfect teeth” and how he knew she was “the one” when they first met, his obituary read.
Judge Johnson had said that he told Florence Lester then and there that she would be his wife. The two were married on June 25, 1960, and had three children, William Oliver Johnson, Justin Llewellyn Johnson (deceased) and Elizabeth Johnson Barnes.
Following college, Judge Johnson joined the United States Air Force, reaching the rank of Major during 14 years of active and reserve duty. His service included two active duty flights into Vietnam as an aircraft commander.
The Honorable JUSTIN M. JOHNSON
Judge Johnson received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1962. Upon graduation, he and Florence Lester moved to Pittsburgh where he joined his father and brother, the Honorable Livingstone Morris Johnson, at the law firm of Johnson, Johnson & Johnson.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court appointed Judge Johnson to the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners in 1969, making him the first African American to hold this position. He held this position for over two decades, including six years as chairman.
In 1970, Judge Johnson became the assistant solicitor and assistant secretary for the Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh-Mt. Oliver Board of Education, making him the first African American to head a major municipal law department in Western Pennsylvania. He remained in that capacity until he became a partner at Berkman, Ruslander, Pohl, Lieber & Engel in 1978.
Judge Johnson was appointed to the Pennsylvania Superior Court in 1980 by Governor Richard Thornburgh, making him the second African American judge appointed to this Court. Judge Johnson served on the Superior Court until his retirement in 2007. While on the bench, Judge Johnson also served as an adjunct professor at Duquesne University Law School.
Judge Johnson was a fearless advocate for justice and equal rights and was in the forefront of many important civil rights battles in Western Pennsylvania. While he was never one to run from a fight, Judge Johnson was also known for his strategic thinking and willingness to listen and seek creative solutions. Civil rights pioneer, Wendell Freeland, had said of Judge Johnson, “Justin has been an ambassador from the Black community to the White community. He has bridged the gaps between Blacks and Whites. And in bridging the gaps, he has made them much smaller.”
Judge Johnson was passionate about education, mentoring young people, and teaching them about the critical importance of hard work, integrity and the pursuit of excellence, his obituary, sent to the Courier, read. His many students, law clerks and mentees speak of his tireless dedication and desire to see them achieve and make a positive impact on the world.
Among Judge Johnson’s other passions was working with and for the Presbyterian Church. He and Florence Lester were very proud members of Bethesda Presbyterian Church and, later, East Liberty Presbyterian Church. They held many local, regional, and national leadership roles within the Presbyterian Church over the years.
Judge Johnson served on many boards, including the board of trustees for Mercy Hospital, South Side Hospital, United Way of Allegheny County, and Princeton Theological Seminary. He was a life trustee of Carnegie Mellon University. He was also the recipient of countless awards and recognitions.
In addition to his wife, son and daughter, Judge Johnson is survived by four grandchildren: Sarah Elizabeth Cahill, Jerome Alexander Barnes, Justin Frederic Barnes, and Jaden Walter Oliver Johnson; his siblings: Judge Livingstone Johnson and Justine Gutzmer; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
The Johnson family asks that, in lieu of flowers or gifts, memorial contributions be made to one of the following scholarships funds, both of which facilitate higher education to financially disadvantaged students:
The Oliver L. Johnson and William A. Lester Scholarship Fund—The Pittsburgh Foundation, 5 PPG Place, Suite 250, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15222. And/or: The Justin Llewellyn Johnson Memorial Fund—Carnegie Mellon University, P.O. Box 371525, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15251.
The public viewing for Judge Johnson is Tuesday, Nov. 9, from 4 to 7 p.m., at East Liberty Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Highland Ave. The funeral for Judge Johnson is Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 11 a.m., also at the church.
About Post Author
