Glenn Michael Johnson, born in Croydon England, to Reginald and Marjorie Johnson, following his sister Beryl into the family, was soon nicknamed Joe in Primary School. Reginald was always making jokes and pulling pranks around the house, surely where Joe got his own famous sense of humour. His father was an accountant, and Joe inherited a passion and talent for personal finance, starting to dabble in investing as young as 14 or so. As a teenager, his artistic side came through when he was a drummer in a band called The Deltones (who once opened for The Beatles prior to their worldwide fame). Joe always wanted to build bridges, and pursued Engineering at the University of Surrey, where mutual friends Malcolm and Frances Billinge introduced him to a bright and beautiful Maths major, named Carolyn Cooke, (who turned out to be the love of his life).
Carolyn and Joe married in 1971 and settled in Chester briefly before beginning their overseas adventures. They lived and worked in Ghana, Nigeria, Trinidad, and Indonesia, meeting wonderful friends like Tony and Julie Phillips, Peter and Patty Neame, Dave and Ann Saunders, Dave and Pauline Higgs, Richard and Jo Thwaites, and many others. Joe met the inconveniences of ex-pat life with humor and inventiveness – the Johnsons created a small venture to purchase and distribute meat to their non-muslim friends in Indonesia, contributed to the international school, boated on the ocean in tiny wooden outrigger boats with friends, and blew off steam with the Hash House Harriers – a running club with irreverent songs and drinking games. Their children Jacqueline and Linda were born in England in 1979 and 1981, between travels, and enjoyed a tropical childhood.
The family settled down in the Toronto area in 1988, where Joe continued to work for DS Lea Consulting, working his way up to Vice President and President. He had many wonderful friends and colleagues at Lea, with whom he shared good times such as the long-running joke about working like donkeys, and a memorable drag performance as one of the Supremes at a Huntsville retreat. Joe will also be remembered for mentoring younger engineers, and especially new Canadians, helping them to get their credentials and advance their careers.
Many summer weekends were spent on the family’s boat. Always determined to do things properly, Joe signed up himself, Carolyn and the kids, for the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron, to learn and practice safe boating and advanced navigation. This enabled exploration of the entirety of Georgian Bay, with several intrepid crossings, and incredible views of nature in isolated corners. A favourite of Joe’s was tying up against the bare rock in a steep fjord-like place called Sheep Head Bay. Of course, he developed a system to attach fenders to the boat to keep it from grinding on the rocks.
Later, a family cottage was purchased, and Joe took great pride in his various ‘Cottage Projects’, including a natural shoreline, docks, decks, stormwater management systems, and utimately designing and building a new, off-grid cottage, complete with many eco-friendly and energy-efficient features. There still exists a never-ending list of his plans and jobs for the place. We’ll try our best to keep crossing things off!
When they weren’t enjoying the four seasons here in Canada, Joe and Carolyn were exploring the world some more. They of course, frequently returned to Britain to spend cherished time with family and friends. Some notable adventures were their 25th wedding anniversary Carribbean Cruise, an African Safari, Galapagos/MachuPichu, a Disney Cruise with all 4 grandchildren, exploring Carolyn’s family history in Myanmar, and the 40th anniversary Australia and New Zealand tour. Joe even went to Antarctica, (though Carolyn politely declined to freeze alongside him on that one!) Many of these trips have been memorialized by Joe’s video camera footage, which he lately edited into proper movies with the help of Jacquie and Linda.
Ever pitching in, Joe joined the Board of the Harbourfront condominium where he and Carolyn moved once they no longer needed a large family home. He contributed his skill, experience and passion to the environmental committee, and helped establish some effective flood protection that mitigated the damage during spring flooding several times.
Joe always loved cars, and so was proud to own a ‘Nassau Blue’ 1965 Corvette convertible, nicknamed Bluevette, for over 20 years. Only a priviledged few were allowed to take that beloved car for a spin (you know who you are!) You can imagine him in that gorgeous car, wearing his leather driving gloves and a flat cap, a ‘new country’ or Beach Boys song blasting from the speakers, as he drums on the steering wheel, going just a litte bit too fast.
Joe faced his diagnosis of Multiple Systems Atrophy with his usual stoicism and optimism, continuing to enjoy life and contribute in his own ways, as long as he could, and of course, laughing at his difficulties.
Joe’s life was full and rich. He worked hard. He helped others. He explored and adventured and he build roads and bridges and efficient systems. Joe loved his family near and far, as well as friends and colleagues the world over. His smile, his wit, and his silliness perhaps the things remembered most by all who knew him. As Joe liked to say, when he was truly relaxed, ‘Guys, it doesn’t get much better than this!’