Cal Johnson's Obituary
Cal Edward Johnson was born on May 14, 1936 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Cal was the second
of six children born to Beulah Hunter and Robert Johnson. He attended Goldstein Elementary
and Langston High School in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A few days after graduating from Langston
High School, Cal made a life changing decision to move to California to take advantage of the
Donahoe Higher Education Act of 1960. This afforded him an Associate Degree from Merritt and
Laney College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Arts from San Francisco State University.
In 1963, he proposed to Dorthy Lee Brown, whom he had known from elementary school
and high school. On August 10, 1964, he married Dorthy in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Once married,
they returned to California to start their family. Cal worked full time while completing his college
education. He initially began his career at the Veteran’s Hospital and later moved onto to Mare
Island Naval Shipyard where he retired in 1991 as a Nuclear Machinist. Cal had 30 prosperous
years with the Federal Government. He earned a State of California Lifetime Teaching Credential
in 1976 in the subject of ‘Machine Shop’. He taught ‘Machine Shop’ at Laney College for 10 years
while working at Mare Island.
After retiring, Cal went on to be an active member of the Oakland Community Organization
Board, St. Benedict’s Parish Council and a substitute teacher for the San Leandro and Oakland
Unified School Districts. He also sat on several oral board interview panels for the Oakland Police
Cadet Academy, completed the Oakland Police Citizens’ Academy and received an Associate of
Science in Criminal Justice in 2006. He was a passionate advocate for improving the local
criminal justice system. In his leisure time, he was an avid golfer, home gardener, voracious
reader and self-proclaimed philosopher. Cal has several trophies that memorialize his “hole in
ones” and placements in various golf tournaments. He started the trend of the drought resistant
landscapes in his neighborhood. His favorite plants included his succulents’ collection. He loved
reading and listening to the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and President Barack
Obama. He also enjoyed listening to gospel music. He found it relaxing, but also inspiring.
Cal Edward Johnson passed away peacefully on March 9, 2017. He was eighty years
young and is survived by his mother, Beulah Wesson, who is 103; his two daughters, Deidre and
Carla Johnson, one older sister, Mae and one younger brother, Raymond and numerous nieces,
nephews and cousins. His attentive eyes, warm smile and honest outlook on life will be missed
by all who had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. His Celebration of Life Ceremony will
take place at 6:30 pm on Thursday, March 30, 2017, at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. In lieu of
flowers, donations can be sent to the American Cancer Society, DONATIONS PROCESSING –
In Memory of Cal Johnson, 1001 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 300, Alameda, CA 94501 or go
online to www.cancer.org/involved/donate/memorial-giving.html .
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