It is with sadness, but also profound gratitude for a life well-lived, that we remember our beloved Eric George Johnson. The oldest of five siblings, he was born in Muskegon, Michigan to Jeanne and LeRoy Johnson on August 22, 1947 and passed into the next part of his soul’s journey on August 13, 2025.

Eric was husband to violinist Cecilia Harris Johnson, doting father of Linnea Louise Johnson, and only 2 ½ weeks away from becoming father-in-law to Christopher Scott Atherly.

Eric was a professional singer who possessed a glorious tenor singing voice. He performed with passion under the stage name Erik Johanson. He developed his talents through schooling and by performing around the world. As an undergraduate, he attended Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. He then spent many years honing his skills as a performer, touring with the National Opera Company and singing in Chicago with the Lyric Opera and the Chicago Symphony Chorus. Eric returned to school to pursue and complete his Master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he met his wife of 39 years, Cecilia. In Cincinnati, he performed regularly with the Cincinnati Opera, with a vocal quartet at Rockdale Temple, and as a soloist in various churches and venues. He famously jumped into the role of the emperor in Puccini’s Turandot at the Cincinnati Opera when the scheduled performer was ill. Soon after, he became a doctoral student and graduate assistant at the prestigious Indiana University School of Music, where he performed the leading roles of Hoffmann in Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann and Faust in Gounod’s Faust.

Eric and Cecilia then returned to Cincinnati as Eric was hired to the voice faculty of Ohio Northern University. Soon after, he secured the position of assistant, and later associate, professor of voice at the University of Toledo, where he taught for 32 years. His knowledge of classical music was profound and he was dedicated to sharing this knowledge with his voice students, guiding them in developing their voices and presenting well-researched approaches to vocal resonance, specifically using vowel modification to enhance every word sung. In this regard, he was a disciple of vocal researcher Berton Coffin. An avid supporter of his colleagues, all music students, and guest artists, he attended nearly every performance given in the UT Department of Music.

Eric continued to perform regularly, as a tenor soloist with the Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, North Carolina, West Virginia, Madison, Lexington, and Toledo Symphonies, in numerous recitals, on tour throughout North America and Europe with the New York City Opera Company, National Opera Company, and a traveling production of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors. He continued to perform in leading opera roles around the country and abroad, including Tamino in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohème, Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata. A highlight was performing the lead role of the prince in Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella) in Singapore. In the Straits Times of Singapore, the reviewer wrote: “But it was Erik Johanson as the Prince, Don Ramiro, who held it all together. He is a young American singer. There can have been few international debuts as successful as this . . . His career is likely to blossom.”

In addition, Eric was the first place winner of the Louise D. McMahon International Music Competition, held in Oklahoma, where he returned as a recitalist the following year.

Eric’s family life was full and rewarding. He was very supportive of Cecilia’s activities and musical career and he adored their daughter, Linnea, and was a constant source of love, learning, and laughter throughout her life. The family took semi-annual tent camping trips to visit our country’s glorious national parks, creating countless memories of adventure, goofy escapades, and breathtaking awe from witnessing these natural wonders together. In so doing, he helped instill his daughter’s love of nature along with the wisdom of Indigenous people, leading Linnea into her former role with the Seattle Indian Health Board and her current role in communications at Washington Trails Association. He brought her to countless concerts, included her in protests for peace and workers’ rights, and was determined that she have the best education possible. It gave him great pride that she continued to sing in a choir and march for social justice once she moved to the Seattle area. The family has always been surrounded by affectionate cats who appeared at the back door and quickly became permanent family members. His buddies Smokey, Tuxie, and Moodle stayed by his side until the very end.

Eric moved through the world with an open heart. He saw a potential friend in every stranger. Almost every time the family went to a restaurant, they would leave knowing the server’s name and story. He waved at every baby and knew how to speak with kids in a way that made them laugh and feel seen. He also took strong stands on many issues of human rights and social justice, protesting for peace and serving as a union representative at both the University of Toledo and at the Cincinnati Opera. He often sobbed when he saw others suffering on the evening news. Some might call his belief in the goodness of strangers naive, but it was in this love of humanity and trust in others that he taught us some of his greatest lessons. His kindness has spiraled outward farther than any of us will ever know.

Eric is survived by his loving wife, Cecilia, his beloved daughter, Linnea, his “prince” of a future son-in-law Chris, his loving siblings: Leelyn (Terry Place) Johnson, Torger (Gertrude) Johnson, Kris (Mary) Johnson, Susan (Thomas) Williams, sister-in law Julie (Michael) Miller, his nieces and nephews: Torger Johnson II, Aerin (Bruce) Graves, Kolina (Ian) Bol, Adam Johnson, Traver Johnson, Megan (David) Fox, Michelle (TJ) Schumacher, Joelle Williams, Rachel (Chandler) Hatchell, Jeffrey Miller, and numerous beloved cousins, grand nieces and nephews, and friends.

For those who wish to remember Eric via a donation, please consider Doctors Without Borders and the National Park Foundation. 

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