G. Leonard Johnson, III
1931 - 2025
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G. Leonard "Len" Johnson, III
May 18, 1931 - September 24, 2025
G. Leonard "Len" Johnson, III, of Catonsville, Maryland, passed away peacefully at his home on September 24, 2025. He was widely recognized for his research in sea ice, marine geology, tectonophysics, and Arctic environmental concerns.
Born in Englewood, New Jersey, on May 18, 1931, Len was the son of G. Leonard Johnson II and Margaret Greenhalgh Johnson. He attended Williams College, where he earned a B.A. in Geology. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and served as an operations officer aboard the USS Rehoboth, a hydrographic survey vessel. There he developed his enduring love for the open seas and first encountered the field of marine science. He later earned an M.S. in Marine Geology from New York University and a dr. phil. in Marine Geology from the University of Copenhagen.
He began his career at the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory before moving to the Washington, D.C., area to work at the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office, where he mounted expeditions in the Arctic. From the 1970s through the 1990s, he directed the Arctic program and eventually all geophysics at the Office of Naval Research. His leadership supported ambitious multidisciplinary expeditions to the Arctic Ocean. Len authored or co-authored more than 200 scientific papers and was awarded the Georg-von-Neumyer Medal (2001) and Nansen Polar Bear Award (2004). After three decades in government service, he left to be a senior scientist at Texas A&M University's Washington, D.C., office, where he facilitated opportunities for faculty to participate in international scientific programs.
He is pre-deceased by his parents and brother, Tom. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sirpa M. A. Hakkinen. He is also survived by his sisters, Patricia and Anne, his children Len, Jenny, Mark, and Lyuba, and by his grandchildren Kyle, Danielle, Natalie, Terence, and Robbie.
Life in Maryland drew him outdoors, where he found joy in gardening and birdwatching. He cultivated a vegetable garden of remarkable variety. He was a member of the Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Catonsville, MD, and was an active participant in church activities. Len will be remembered as generous and thoughtful, with a sharp wit and understated sense of humor.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Nature Conservancy.
May 18, 1931 - September 24, 2025
G. Leonard "Len" Johnson, III, of Catonsville, Maryland, passed away peacefully at his home on September 24, 2025. He was widely recognized for his research in sea ice, marine geology, tectonophysics, and Arctic environmental concerns.
Born in Englewood, New Jersey, on May 18, 1931, Len was the son of G. Leonard Johnson II and Margaret Greenhalgh Johnson. He attended Williams College, where he earned a B.A. in Geology. After graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and served as an operations officer aboard the USS Rehoboth, a hydrographic survey vessel. There he developed his enduring love for the open seas and first encountered the field of marine science. He later earned an M.S. in Marine Geology from New York University and a dr. phil. in Marine Geology from the University of Copenhagen.
He began his career at the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory before moving to the Washington, D.C., area to work at the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office, where he mounted expeditions in the Arctic. From the 1970s through the 1990s, he directed the Arctic program and eventually all geophysics at the Office of Naval Research. His leadership supported ambitious multidisciplinary expeditions to the Arctic Ocean. Len authored or co-authored more than 200 scientific papers and was awarded the Georg-von-Neumyer Medal (2001) and Nansen Polar Bear Award (2004). After three decades in government service, he left to be a senior scientist at Texas A&M University's Washington, D.C., office, where he facilitated opportunities for faculty to participate in international scientific programs.
He is pre-deceased by his parents and brother, Tom. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sirpa M. A. Hakkinen. He is also survived by his sisters, Patricia and Anne, his children Len, Jenny, Mark, and Lyuba, and by his grandchildren Kyle, Danielle, Natalie, Terence, and Robbie.
Life in Maryland drew him outdoors, where he found joy in gardening and birdwatching. He cultivated a vegetable garden of remarkable variety. He was a member of the Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Catonsville, MD, and was an active participant in church activities. Len will be remembered as generous and thoughtful, with a sharp wit and understated sense of humor.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Nature Conservancy.
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