Work: Statistician
Spouse: Judy
2 Children
2 Grandchildren
Information update: 11/28/2020

Following my lack-luster academic high school years (for which Bernie Friedenson properly chastised me while signing my yearbook), I continued a lack-luster academic career for two years at UMD (which Ken Jackson termed a high school with ashtrays-but now they disallow smoking, so what would he call it?) and for two more years on the "main" campus in Minneapolis. Met my wife-to-be after my junior year. The following August I took final exams on Thursday, graduated on Friday, got married on Saturday, and moved to Milwaukee on Sunday. Whew!

Realizing my degree in psychology might not have much use, I had added a math major in my senior year. Eventually I became interested in statistics and was fortunate enough to be admitted to the Statistics Department at the University of Wisconsin, one of the best programs in the country. I had become a serious student, finally. I got a masters degree and began a PhD when I became interested in birds and nature and ecology. Learning of a job opportunity in North Dakota working as a statistician in a federal wildlife research center, I abandoned my PhD plans and headed west.

My wife figured we would be in North Dakota a couple of years, .., and, sure enough, 35 years later, we moved-back to Minnesota. Meanwhile, we raised two boys, one an accountant, the other a civil engineer. Both graduated from the University of North Dakota, and immediately moved to Minnesota. We were able, nonetheless, to track them down and eventually moved to Minnesota ourselves.

My career has been good to me. I knew more about statistics than most wildlife biologists, and more about biology than most statisticians, so I was able to work the interface between the two disciplines effectively. While employed, I returned to academia to get a PhD. I also got to supervise a range of scientists, including both statisticians and biologists. I received a Distinguished Service Award from the Department of the Interior several years ago, and was so proud of my gold medal that I had it bronzed. Just this year I was given the Aldo Leopold Award, the highest honor conferred by The Wildlife Society. Amazing, giving that to a statistician!

While I still work for the same wildlife research center, my office is on the Saint Paul campus of the University of Minnesota. I work with many students, all of whom are smarter than I. It is a real pleasure seeing the younger generation, normally perceived as going to hell, actually being hard-working, dedicated, and considerate.

Best of all is my favorite career, that of a grandfather. I have doted on a grandson (Gavin Douglas Johnson) and a granddaughter (Skylar Marie Johnson) since their births. I love them dearly, and feel their love in return. There is nothing better.

Never a member of the "in" crowd at Central, I nonetheless feel affectionate about our special class. I mourned the early losses of classmates like Gary Hoglund, whose name I seek out every time I visit the Viet Nam Memorial. And Judy Thomas, about as friendly as anyone I knew. Those are just two of the special Class of 1961!