Dr. David H. Johnson, 66

May 15, 2023

Dr. David H. Johnson of Lancaster, PA, passed away on May 15, 2023. Dr. Johnson was 66 years old and a native of east Tennessee. He was an associate professor of Social Work at Millersville University. He earned his PhD at the University of Texas in Austin and taught at Millersville since 2009. He was co-author of a widely used textbook in the field of Social Welfare policy and was published in numerous scholarly journals. He published a novel, Miss Alfie’s Secret, that is currently available on Amazon.

Dr. Johnson’s greatest achievement was in influencing hundreds of students and colleagues to be better, to know more and better understand their personal mission of improving the lives of their students and their clients. His teaching was marked by down to earth stories, punctuated with humor and an honesty that could only be admired. He challenged his students as well as his colleagues and relished being challenged in return. He was always willing to express his opinion and was prepared to defend his position and could gracefully accept being proved wrong on rare occasions.

David’s life experience helped shape his successful academic career. He was an undergraduate music major, a music educator and a school band leader. After that he found his way into the corporate world and worked in the insurance industry, healthcare, and real estate.

He decided on a change in direction and returned to academia as a mature student and earned his MSW at Southern Mississippi University and distinguished himself there as a superior student and leader. He moved to Austin and enjoyed the experience as a PhD candidate. His dissertation was a comparison of the healthcare initiatives of the Johnson and Clinton Administrations.

Dr. Johnson remained a student as an educator by staying current with every change in government’s (Federal, state and local) approach to public policy regarding social welfare.

Dr. David(DJ, Mudcat) Johnson leaves a legacy of inspiring people to be better.