Aldrin Sweeney, Assistant Professor

Bobby Jeanpierre, Assistant Professor

Michael C. Hynes, Professor

Douglas K. Brumbaugh, Professor

Enrique Ortiz, Associate Professor

Juli Dixon, Associate Professor

Gina Gresham, Assistant Professor

Dr. Judith Johnson

Judith A. Johnson Memorial Scholarship
College of Education
P. O. Box 161250
Orlando, FL 32816-1250

Dr. Judith A. Johnson wasn't just a gifted teacher. She made her work - and her students - her life.

Johnson of Winter Springs, an associate professor of science education in the College of Education at the Education of Central Florida, died Thursday of cancer. She was 57.

Highly sought after as an innovative and creative instructor, Johnson basically taught teachers how to teach.

"She had a real gift for helping people understand themselves and getting them where they wanted to go" academically, said friend and coworker Nancy Lewis, a research associate at UCF"She'd show you the next step."

Johnson was assistant of the Lockheed Martin-UCF Academy for Mathematics and Science, a master's degree program for teachers. She also ran UCF's Center for Educational Enhancement, a teacher in-service training program.

She graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in microbiology in 1967 and

became a certified medical technologist at the University of Northern Colorado a year later. She received a masters degree in biology from the University of Nebraska and taught biology and science at high schools in Pleasanton and Kearney, Neb. from 1981 to 1990.

Johnson then returned to the University of Nebraska as a graduate assistant to work on her Ph. D. in education curriculum and instruction. She was hired by UCF in 1992.

"She was a popular teacher," said Mary Palmer. "She was very cutting edge."

Son Corey Johnson of Kearney, Neb., said his mother established the Judith Johnson Endowed Scholarship Fund at UCF for single mothers less than a year ago during her battle with cancer.

"She saw how hard it was for people to get the money to go back to school," he said.

Johnson is also survived by another son, Jerry Johnson of Winter Springs.

Sandra Mathers for the Orlando Sentinel. September 14, 2002