Mike and I grew up together as Boy Scouts in Berkeley, Illinois Troop 73. We went camping, sailing and to summer camp together in Northwoods, Wisconsin. I knew his family well. We camped during every month of the year. In the snow especially. We had a lot of fond memories in Boy Scouts. I’m sorry I did not know about your passing until after the Memorial. Bruce Butler who serves in the Honor Guard was at the service. He is an Eagle Scout from the Boy Scout Troop 577 in Green Cove Springs, Florida. I was his Scoutmaster. Rest In Peace my friend. Your life made a difference. 

From the other 'Mike' on our Mig Bird Leadership calls, I'm going to miss, now, so much, the occasional confusion that caused!   Yours was the warm voice of reason and program history, Mike J; you kept our ship sailing straight and reminded us of where we've been and where we're going.  I will miss that guidance, your voice, your laugh.   Peace to one and all.

I first met and worked with Mike when he was on detail to the Division of Budget in 2003. He was willing to do whatever needed to get the job done with a smile on his face.  We shared many laughs and arm-chair quarterbacking regarding a favorite episode of Survivor.  You will be missed dearly my friend.  

I met Mike at UWSP. We had both just transferred as Juniors and lived in the upper-classman  dorm.  Mike was the definition of gregarious. He was always laughing and upbeat even when the dramas of college life threatened.  There is a group of us, all close friends who have managed to stay in touch over the years. We may go 5 or 10 years without seeing each other and we can take over where we left off as if were yesterday. Mike is the first one we’ve lost. I guess we’re lucky we’ve made it 40 years without losing anyone, but it sure doesn’t feel lucky now. Mike really was the heart & soul of the group. We all called him Mikey and he put up with it. He had nicknames for most of us as well. Mikey loved to tease and be teased

When Mike headed out to work in Yuma, Arizona in the mid 80s, I was working at the USGS in Oklahoma City & Mike stopped in for the night on his way out. My friend and work colleague David had Friday afternoon drinks at his house so I gave Mike his #. Mike was late so the 3 of us ended up going out for dinner. When Mike left the next morning he said “I like your boyfriend” I said oh no, we’re just friends & Mike grinned, “sure you are”. The next time I saw Mike, David & I were together & Mike said “He’s not your boyfriend, huh?” Then when he headed from Yuma back to Chicago he stopped in at our wedding. I think he was still teasing me about it then. He took credit for knowing before I did, that David was the one. 

I have lots of memories of good times with Mike, sitting around a campfire, hiking through the woods, cross country skiing in frigid weather, sharing a pitcher of beer and six weeks at summer camp/ boot camp in the northern forests of Wisconsin.  I had expected to make more memories with Mike and Judy, and Mikey and the gang. We will all have to ‘make do’ with the memories we have. Mikey, we will miss your laugh, your gentle teasing and common sense approach to things. Judy, my prayers and thoughts are with you. Cherish the memories.

Dear Judy, I am so glad you had the joy of being with Mike! Such an amazing life you two lived. Mike was a gracious, kind, & a gentle being. He was also very funny and he will be missed. I'll be with you in spirit on the 20th my dear friend. Love to you all. 

Words can not express the sorrow of losing a great friend like Mike.  Our relationship goes back to the early days in Chicago when I hired Mike into the Fish and Wildlife Service, then hired him again in DC, best hires I ever made.  Mike was always a “go to” guy, dependable, funny, reliable and always loyal.  He was such a pleasure to be around regardless to the situation.  His conservation ethic was unquestionable and the Service, as well as the Nation, is far better off because of his life long contribution to conservation.  Everyone that worked with him adored him because of his personality and his steadfastness, always trying to get the task done, always doing the right thing!  I loved the Man, pure and simple, my heart is so heavy knowing that I will not see his smiling face or hear that unmistakable laugh of his.  Judy thank you for sharing him with us these many years, to you and your family I know your hearts are broken.  But please be comforted by the fact that Mike was loved by all of us.  My deepest condolences, God Bless you and the family.  Rest In Peace my good friend, you were taken too soon, we will miss you.

Mike was a great conservationist and friend.  When we were coaches at ALDP,  Mike picked me up at Dulles to drive to NCTC.  I always looked for the car with the 'Ruddy Duck' licence tag (his favorite bird).  After moving to DC, Lisa and I got to meet Judi and went out to dinner several times.  We enjoyed talking about birds, gardening, and vacations with Mike and Judi.  We miss him!

It’s all been said by others but Mike was truly one of the good guys.  He was a great friend, colleague, boss and mentor. We worked hard together but when it was time to relax you could always kick back with Mike. Whether it was sitting around at the end of the day talking about grandkids or having a beer or going for a walk to Starbucks, Mike was always there.   I’ll miss you buddy. 

Mike and Judy are our neighbors of more than 15 years , Miki as I would call him was my brother, always positive, even when we were shoveling snow with all neighbors on those rare big storms we get around here, we would laugh and share donuts and hot chocolate. Also exchange beers over the fence in the backyard on BBQ  days, that were more frequent than storms (thanks god); shared his experiences with wild life; not his, but the lives of the ones he dedicated his knowledge and expertise: migratory fowl and other birds. Used to introduce him as the top North American expert in "migra birds" and he would blush, as he was a humble and down to earth guy. Had the chance to see him through his last fight and though he was making it through all the assistance, it was his time to leave us. You may not be physically with us Miki, but you will always live in our hearts and memories hermano.

I loved sharing the October birthday time with Mike.  I loved Fridays in his office talking and eating donuts together  (I include a photo of one of his birthday donut gifts in this- our birthdays were one day apart). On many of those Fridays, we talked about work, but also Star Trek, old books, all the treasures in his office, and well, all sorts of 'Friday' topics. Mike has been a source of humanity, humor, and friendship since I started working at the Service, and an anchor to sanity when stress piled up. He has always been a great reminder to not take myself so seriously.  And yet Mike gave me a special USFWS pin when I realized I'd never received any certificate for 15 plus years of service.  I'll always cherish it. 

All I can say is that I'm really going to miss you, Mike. 

Condolences to Judi and the entire Johnson family.  I worked with Mike, for many years, in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including the nearly six years that I served as Director.  Mike was an exemplary public servant, and working with him was joyful and successful.  He was honest, fair, kind, thoughtful, intelligent, patient, persistent, determined, and courageous.  I don't recall ever hearing him say and unkind word.  He is the kind of person we all want to be. Thank you for sharing him with us.  And please know, that many, many people are sharing your grief in this moment of loss, but also sharing your pride in celebrating his life.

Dan Ashe

This week has felt empty.  Our paths ran together only for a short time twenty years ago when Mike came to DC in the Partners Program and I was in the Coastal Program.  Since then we haven’t seen each other often, but once you got to know Mike you always knew Mike.  Always a smile, always a way to help others no matter what the issue or the time.  Rest in Peace Mike, while the rest of us try to carry on with your spirit. 

Mike was a kind and giving person who cared deeply about critters and people alike.  He will be deeply missed.  

I met Mike when he came to the Migratory Bird Program in 2004.  He immediately struck me as a dedicated professional who cared deeply about making government work better for employees, society, and wildlife conservation.  He remained so as I worked with him.  He also became a solid friend.  All with a positive attitude and quick smile.  That positive energy will live among us who knew him.  And I know, Mike, this part of your journey is peace-filled.  Rest In Peace friend.  

Mike will always be remembered for his kind heart.  He cared about accomplishing the mission of the Migratory Bird Program but he also cared about the staff who worked for the Program.  His door was always open with a listening ear and smile.  Managers like Mike are rare and hard to find.  He will truly be missed.  My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family.  May God bring you comfort and peace during this difficult time.

I met Mike when I was fortunate enough to be selected for the Advanced Leadership Development Program (ALDP) Cohort 15.  Mike was one of our coaches and one of the kindest, and nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.  He shared openly with us, thereby encouraging our own introspective growth...at least that's how it was for me.  Just knowing Mike was out there working for us restored my faith in many things.  Mike, you will be sorely missed.

I had the opportunity to know Mike while working at Ducks Unlimited. He was a good friend to all and he always had a smile. Mike was one of those lovable and kind people who truly cared about people. We shared many good times with our DU family. I will never forget you my friend. Rest in peace, Mike.

Great man, great friend and mentor. Without hesitation, Mike helped me and my family settle down in the Northern Virginia area when we moved from Puerto Rico to the Washington DC area. We were lucky to find a house. No furniture, no nothing! Mike gave us our first pieces of furniture for our home. When I asked him how much I owned him, he put his big old smile and said "nothing my friend." He took me and my family around and helped us adjust to our new environment and community. Mike was a great mentor too. He helped me a lot with how to do different jobs in the Branch of Habitat Restoration including doing budgets! Because of that, when Mike moved on to the Migratory Birds Program, I was able to slide into his previous position. He kept helping and mentoring me until now. I will miss you my friend! 

My best memories of Mike are from our time at USFWS/Arlington Square. There were days at work when it seemed that we had a million things on our plate, all due the day before. These were times when I would wander down the hall to Mike's office. Sometimes I could tell his day wasn't going much better than mine, but whatever kind of day he was having, a smile wasn't far away. We would start a conversation about work and all of our problems, but not for long as topics would quickly change to our respective school days in Wisconsin, his Green Bay Packers vs. my Detroit Lions (Mike was always kind), or one of Mike's funny stories. After a few minutes, our day didn't seem so challenging any more, mostly due to Mike, his wit, and his outlook on life. I won't forget those times or others, Mike. Will miss you and God Bless.

While working on M.S. degrees at U. Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the early 1980s, “Michael J.” (as he was known then) was one of my cherished wildlife grad  roomies for a couple years, in an old farmhouse amid a central Wisconsin grassland (photo).  Along with other grad students (Dave Ross and Pete Fasbender among them), we shared time in the field, personal trials, and some of the grandest, craziest fun.  Since those days I’ve been lucky to hook up with him now and then while we both worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  He’s always been one of the warmest, most personable, humble, fondly self-effacing, and caring and considerate persons I’ve known… and that unique smile and laugh of his – how wonderfully infectious!  I appreciated his sincerity and love of family.  How sad that he’s suddenly gone!  You will be so, so very missed Michael J., you made life richer for all of us.

Mike,
Your friendly smile will be greatly missed. Thank you for always providing such a welcoming environment for all of us. Your passion and leadership for bird conservation will be deeply missed. However, through your mentoring and leadership we will all carry forward your legacy and elevate collaborative conservation efforts for birds and their habitats. 

Thank you for the blessings you brought to all the lives you touched. We wish everyone our healing thoughts as we move forward as a community.

Sincerely,
Tammy VerCauteren

It's hard to believe that we will no longer see his smiling face in the halls of the headquarters office. He definitely brightened up my day. He was such a nice guy and will be missed.

Mike, the void in the office is nothing compared to the void in our hearts. Your kindness, optimism, and cheerful demeanor meant a lot to me and to everyone whose path was fortunate enough to cross with yours. See you on the other side. 

Mike, you made me laugh so many times when we worked together at USFWS In Barrington.  I will miss you.   My sympathies to your family. 
Rebecca Bieniek. 

Oh Mike....  I am sure gonna miss you.   I have learned so much from you over the years,  especially on all the Eagle Feather issues and Feral Cat fun.    You were such a wealth of knowledge on so many things.....  I am gonna miss our early morning tet A tet's that we had when you were acting for Jerome.    You have left a huge void in our hearts  and our minds.   I will keep your family in your thoughts thru this difficult time.   You were such a pleasure to work with.  I miss you lots already!  

Michael J and I were classmates at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He was one who always had a kind word to say about someone. I never knew him to display negativism and he always worked toward a solution when things became complicated. He was a fine man.  Did you know his masters thesis was on the habitat needs of pickerel frog?!  

Godspeed Michael J, you will be missed here.

Mike, you were one of the good guys, in every sense.  Thank you for your lifetime of contributions to wildlife conservation. Thank you for always reminding me -- and walking the walk -- of the importance of family. And thank you for your joy of life and your friendship. I wish I had made more time to simply chat and catch up over the last few years -- because I know you would always make the time for me. I miss you already.

Mike was one of the nicest and most easy going person I knew.  Despite frustrations and stresses of work, he always worked diligently towards a resolution, wanting to ensure that all involved would come out better in the end.  I enjoyed talking to Mike about his family.  We shared stories of his grandkids and my kids.  I know we will all miss his smile and laugh.  I am grateful to have known Mike and will cheerish all the memories.

Mike was always a valued partner and friend to us here at the Canadian Wildlife Service. I will very much miss his good humour and infectious smile. He will be greatly missed. 

Thank you, Mike, for being such a good friend and mentor over the short time that we knew each other. I always looked forward to my trips to D.C. or to our leadership team meetings, as it gave me the opportunity to sit with Mike and share stories, talk baseball, and discuss opportunities we saw to make a difference in bird conservation. His love for his family, career, and life was evident in every conversation I ever had with him. Thank you for teaching me so much about the history of the Service, the Migratory Bird program, and especially about the good things in life that matter most. You will be missed, my friend. Rest in peace, Mike. 

What a wonderful guy!  Mike made work fun with his upbeat attitude.  He was understanding, thoughtful and friendly.  One of his talents showed when he roasted people upon their retirement or departure.  He made sure that we didn’t take ourselves too seriously.  I recall the good job he did in roasting me at my retirement in 2011.  We miss you, Mike.  Godspeed and God Bless you!

Mike was one of the people I have known the longest at the Service and he was one of my best friends.  He was one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.  He loved his family and talked about them all the time.  He always had time for me and I will truly miss our lunches (where he would try so hard not to get a spot on his shirt!), our Words with Friends Games, and our superhero movie nights.  I think my favorite memory of Mike involves a great big stuffed purple ape named Bubba who once acted for our Division Chief.  Mike loved the Service and he will be sorely missed.   I am forever changed by having known him.

I didn't meet Mike until I moved from BLM to USFWS in 2000.  But with our common Wisconsin roots, we quickly connected when talking about the Packers or the Badgers or anything Wisconsin.  He was always upbeat and had a smile on his face.  As others have said, he was a good guy, and that's the best you can hope to be remembered for in the end. Happy Trails my friend. Terry

As a fellow Chicagoan, Mike and I had such a great connection. We agreed on pretty much everything except sports: he gave me a hard time about the White Sox while I gave him a hard time about the Packers. Even as a White Sox fan, I was genuinely happy for Mike that he was able to see the Cubbies fiiiinally pull off the big World Series win in 2016. We did both agree that the Blackhawks were a-ok! He and I also gave each other tips on bird sightings in the area, but I will always cherish the memories of being able to go with him to visit places like Huntley Meadows to see the Woodcock and their awesome springtime sky dances and to a random power plant in Alexandria for a Prairie Falcon. But I will always think of Mike when I see Ruddy Ducks, his favorite waterfowl species, always. He had such a big heart and cared about us so very much – he will be sorely missed.

Mike was an amazing guy.  His love of family was unparalleled.  There was always time to talk about family which was my favorite thing to talk about with him.  His  common sense approach to work was one of my favorite thing about him.  Always with a smile and an indomitable spirit for doing the rights things.  He loved having fun and his kind fun was contagious!  A lesson I will never forget.  

Mike was one of the nicest persons that I ever had the pleasure of knowing.  I met him quite a few years ago while supporting USFWS at a Federal Duck Stamp function.  He was always such a joy to be around, and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to get to know him over the years.  He will truly be missed.   

The first time I met Mike, he had a cheese wedge strapped to his head.  I'll always remember him as a happy person who found the silver lining in everything.  One moment that especially meant a lot to me was when he visited me when my wife was in hospice.  He would go out of his way to help out anyone who needed it.  He was an all-around decent guy.

My favorite memory of Mike is watching him pick up a big stick and engage in an impromptu sword fight against my two four year old boys, simultaneously. His pure joy and love of fun and love of people are indelibly etched into my heart. So many were lucky enough to know him and we will never forget him.

OBITUARY

Michael Joseph Johnson

October 7, 1957 – May 11, 2019

Demaine Funeral Home

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