Charles Johnson

Charles Felzen Johnson, born in Chicago on August 23, 1935, passed away on September 20, 2026, at Akron General Cleveland Clinic Neuro ICU after a brain hemorrhage followed by other life-threatening medical conditions.

Throughout his life, he was known as Charlie, Chuckie, and Chuck. He was an intelligent, curious, creative, humorous soul. Whether he was telling a joke or reminiscing about the old times, he had a way of bringing joy to every conversation he had. He always had a lesson to teach or a story to tell. Most importantly, he had so much love in his heart.

He lived many lives in 91 years. He was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, teacher, and friend.

He completed his undergraduate degree at Santa Barbara, attended medical school at UCLA, and became a pediatrician who later specialized in Child Development and Child Abuse. He held multiple positions throughout his career, including professor of pediatrics in Iowa, Dean of a medical school in Tennessee, and Director of the Child Abuse Program at Columbus Children’s Hospital at Ohio State University, where he worked for 25 years before retiring at age 70.

He had a remarkable gift for teaching and inspiring others, especially his children.

He was a father for 70 years, raising five daughters: Jenece Hamby, Jill Johnson, Judi Johnson, Jana Charl, and Jasmin Johnson. He became a father at 21 years of age, and after retiring at 70, he raised his fifth daughter, Jasmin. He was also the devoted grandfather of William, Sollie, Lillie, and Gavin. Being a father and grandfather was one of the greatest joys of his life, and he cherished every part of those relationships.

He shared his life with his beloved wife, Sumru, whom he met in Istanbul, Türkiye, while lecturing as a guest professor. Their friendship grew through two years of long-distance, eventually leading to their marriage. In the 25 years they were married, they raised Jasmin and enjoyed and celebrated life together against all the odds.

But family was only one part of the rich and varied life he lived. Charles was always creating, learning, exploring, and finding new ways to connect with the world around him. His inspiration flowed through poetry, painting, sculptures, and drawings. He described his love for art as an outlet when things got hard. When work was tough, he leaned into cartoons. When inspiration struck, he wrote poems or painted pictures, and when he had something to say, sculptures were the way. He won awards for his artwork, but more importantly, his loved ones received poems on their birthdays and silly drawings on a rainy day.

He brought that same curiosity and enthusiasm into the rest of his life, always finding new ways to learn, connect with others, and challenge himself. If he wasn’t heading to the gym at the JCC to talk to “other old Jewish men”, he was at Toastmasters, speaking, sharing, and learning every week. He formed lasting friendships wherever he went and became a mentor to many over the years. He never lost his curiosity or his desire to learn. Even at 91, he continued watching lectures about history, medicine, and countless other topics. He valued the pursuit of knowledge and loved encouraging others to keep learning and growing as well.

He shared so much of life with the people he loved. He loved movies, sports, Broadway shows, concerts, cars, and travels. He never wanted to stop living, and he never did. He continued to seek out new experiences, new adventures, and things that brought him joy. Even in his last week, he attended the Broadway show “Death Becomes Her,” and the week before, he enjoyed Star Wars music. He wanted to fill his life with adventure, music, laughter, and love and he did so until the very end.

Charles leaves behind far more than an impressive résumé. He leaves a legacy of compassion, knowledge, creativity, laughter, and love. His curiosity lives on in those he taught. His creativity lives on in those he inspired. His kindness lives on in the countless children, families, students, colleagues, friends, and loved ones whose lives he enriched.

His family will miss his presence, his voice, his stories, his laughter, and the countless little things that made him uniquely himself. Though he is gone, they will carry him forward in the memories they share, the lessons he taught, the beauty he found in the world, and the love that continues to bind them together.

Charles Felzen Johnson was, in every sense, one of a kind. His life cannot be measured only by his accomplishments, but by the people he loved, the lives he changed, the joy he brought, and the enduring legacy he leaves behind.

He will be deeply loved, forever remembered, and profoundly missed.

Friends and family are welcomed to attend a memorial service to share memories and celebrate the life and artwork of Charles Johnson at Rose Hill Funeral Home, 3653 W Market St, Akron, Ohio, 44333 on Saturday, September 26, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.