Obituary of Thomas Johnson

Thomas Johnson, Architect We are very sad to announce the sudden passing of Thomas Johnson. Tom passed away at his home in Saint John, New Brunswick, on December 30th, 2015. Tom is survived by his brother John (Susan) of Saint John, nephew Andrew and nieces Judith and Anne (Glenn Chong) and grandniece Samantha and grandnephew Phillip. Tom was born in Toronto on June 30th, 1948, to John Henry and Maria Johnson. He attended O’Neill Collegiate in Oshawa and then graduated from the University of Toronto in 1973 with degrees in Honours English and Architecture. Tom initially came to Saint John on visits in the late 1960s to see his mother, who was living in the city while serving as the Executive Director of the YWCA. Tom decided to start his architectural career in Saint John, initially working with architect John Disher and later Heinz Fleckenstein, before starting his own firm Thomas Johnson Architect in 1982. Over the next thirty-three years, Tom created an architectural legacy of finely designed private homes, public and institutional buildings, and commercial and industrial facilities across Atlantic Canada. Tom’s firm excelled in providing exemplary classical architectural designs. He worked very closely with the Irving family on many business and personal projects across New Brunswick. Some examples of his work include the award winning historical restoration of CenterBeam Place, a block of Victorian buildings on King Street in Saint John. This project was recognized nationally by Heritage Canada in 2010. Other projects include the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal in Saint John, the Rothesay Town Hall, Kirk House and Netherwood House student residences and the Irving Gymnasium at Rothesay Netherwood School, the Ducks Unlimited Conservation Centre in Fredericton, and the Atlantic Salmon Federation headquarters in St. Andrews. Tom’s projects ranged from hunting and fishing lodges to stunning private residences along the coast of the Bay of Fundy and the banks of the Saint John and Kennebecasis Rivers. In recent years, Tom’s passion was the construction of his river front summer home (Windwood Point) on the Saint John River, a place where he loved to spend time in the company of friends. Tom’s pastimes included sailing and boating, as both a competitor and a sailing judge. He also was an avid skier, serving as President of Poley Mountain in Sussex and President of the NB Ski Association. When Tom arrived in Saint John he was a "real Upper Canadian"; but over the next forty years he became a true Maritimer. He became an accomplished trout and salmon fisherman, and loved to hunt partridge in Charlotte County and ducks on the marshes of the Kennebecasis and Hammond Rivers. Anyone who knew Tom was constantly amazed at the range and depth of his knowledge, his wit, his generosity and his proudly politically incorrect views on virtually any topic. In addition to immediate family, Tom leaves behind a wide range of friends across the country, most notably: the Irving family, and close lifelong friends Barbara Lee White of Rothesay, Mary Ann Stevens and Geoff Harding of Fredericton and colleagues Mark, Matthew and Henry Hussey of Saint John. Please join family and friends at a reception to celebrate the life and work of Tom Johnson at Shadow Lawn Inn in Rothesay on Saturday, January 9th from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. A donation to a charity of the donor’s choice, in lieu of flowers, is preferred by the family.