He was born to LaNelle (Renfroe) Johnson and James Michael (Mickey) Johnson on February 9, 1953 in Park Falls, Wisconsin.
His early life was spent among family in Mississippi, while moving to Virginia/Pennsylvania in his early teens. He attended Falls Church High School in Virginia, and graduated from Great Valley High School, Malvern, PA in 1971.
He is an alumni and lifelong fan of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia graduating from the School of Architecture in 1977. He is a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity where he established many life long bonds of brotherhood. He met and married his beloved wife, Mary Ann (Harris) there. They married in the campus chapel in 1976 a year prior to his graduation. Michael began his highly successful 33 years as an award winning architect in 1977, shortly after graduation.
Michael spent time practicing architecture in New Jersey, Wisconsin, Washington D.C., and Colorado before settling in San Diego in 1986. It was then that he and Gordon R. Carrier, FAIA, partnered to form Carrier Johnson + Culture, a global San Diego based architectural firm with offices in Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York. The award winning firm via Michael’s leadership has designed 250+ projects, shaping the San Diego skyline while completing numerable works across the United States and around the World.
Michael was passionately active with many community, regional, and national, organizations. For more than 20 years, Michael held leadership roles in San Diego’s evolution, offering a particular passion for Downtown San Diego. As such, Michael served on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Downtown San Diego Partnership - a leading force in the dramatic development of San Diego’s downtown.
Michael served as president of the American Institute of Architects San Diego Chapter for which he received the "Distinguished Service Firm Award." He was nationally recognized by the American Institute of Architects in 2010 with the "Outstanding Firm Award" for Carrier Johnson's Intern Development Program. Together with partner, Gordon R Carrier, FAIA, Mr. Johnson was honored with the "Architectural Design Firm of the Year" award by the Associated General Contractors of America, San Diego Chapter in 2001.
Most recently, Michael served on the American Institute of Architects National Documents Committee in addition to being Chairman of the Real Estate and Advisory Board for the Urban Studies and Planning Program at the University of California, San Diego.
Michael also served on the Board of Advisors at Virginia Tech School of Architecture and the Board of Directors of the New School of Architecture in San Diego. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the California Council AIA where he also served as treasurer and member of the Executive Committee and Urban Design Committee. Michael was a founding member and first Chairman of the Board of Directors of the University of California San Diego’s Center for Real Estate Development.
He and architectural partner Gordon, remained lifelong professional colleagues, but more importantly, they were close friends, with Gordon being able to fill the role of the brother Michael never had.
Personally, Michael cherished his life with Mary Ann in Jamul, California and his role as patriarch of a loving family. He raised the loves of his life, sons Ryan, Brett, Christopher (Sarah Gosewisch) and daughter, Whitney (Tom St Hilaire) along with grandsons, Liam and Conor and newly arrived granddaughter, Parker.
Michael is survived by his parents and 4 sisters, Michaele (Alan) Moore, Melanie Johnson, Mary (Tony) Medina, and Meg (Carlos) Gomez along with many treasured nieces, nephews, and a large and loving extended family.
Michael loved sports of all types, both playing and spectating. From skiing to hiking, he loved them all but he was an especially avid golfer, loving time on the links both in San Diego and in the desert.
He loved reading and took special joy from listening to music of all types. He also loved the ocean; spending many hours on and in the water. Travel was always at the top of his list of enjoyments, and as a result, he managed many family focused adventure trips in recent years.
He found particular solace at his home, a self-designed Jamul haven in the foothills, spending time playing games, smoking cigars with his dad, and relaxing under the backyard palapa or in the pool or jacuzzi with his family.
Michael loved talking and telling stories and took pleasure in socializing with his friends and the many, many coworkers that he loved and respected.
Friends, colleagues, and others whose lives were touched by Michael C. Johnson AIA are invited to join his family to celebrate his life at a Funeral Mass at the Church of St Luke, 1980 Hillsdale Road, El Cajon, CA 92019 on Saturday, February 29th, 2020 at 11:00am. This will be followed by a reception in the church hall.
There will also be a rosary said for him at the church on Friday evening, February 28th at 6:30pm.
In Lieu of Flowers, please consider a donation (dear to our hearts) to the El Nido program (transitional housing for domestic abuse survivors and their children) through the Interfaith Shelter Network at interfaithshelter.org - scroll to hit the donation button and designate El Nido OR the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation at netrf.org.
While we have lost the physical presence of this caring man, heaven has welcomed a good and kind soul. God Bless him and keep him always.
SHARE OBITUARYSHARE
v.1.11.5