Charles E. Johnson

Charles E. Johnson Obituary 

 (1/8/49 - 8/10/2022)

Charles E. Johnson (known to all his friends, close relations, and colleagues as “Charlie”), 73,  passed away suddenly at home on August 10, 2022.

Charlie was preceded in death by his mother, Carole Robertson Johnson, his father, George E. Q. Johnson,Jr and his step-mother, Mary Anne Johnson.

Charlie came from a colorful, well-known Chicago family: His father, George (“Gene”) Johnson,  was a prominent Chicago probate and trial attorney. His mother, Carole,  a socialite, and former model was featured in the Chicago Tribune  as one of Chicago’s most beautiful women, was the owner of Entre Nous, an exclusive woman’s consignment apparel shop in Chicago’s  Gold Coast neighborhood that discreetly sold couture designer fashions previously worn by famous Hollywood  celebrities including Dinah Shore, Debbie Reynolds and  and others. His paternal grandfather, George E. Q. Johnson, was the lead prosecutor in the conviction of Al Capone; he  hired Eliot Ness to assist in collecting evidence.

An alumnae of the University of Denver, Charlie earned a bachelor’s degree in Business and a M.S.W. ( Masters degree in Social  Work). A licensed social worker, he provided psychotherapy services for numerous clients during a career that spanned  over 30 years, authored  scholarly articles, and co-authored a professional book, Re-Crafting a Life: Solutions for Chronic Pain and Illness with his colleague, Denise Webster. He also trained psychotherapists, social workers, physicians and counselors  in the U.S., Canada, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, and the UK. 

Charlie was also trained in Improvisational Comedy. He was a  founding member of the Denver improvisational comedy performance group, 4 Chairs, No Waiting, and trained business executives internationally in improvisational comedy techniques. A popular keynote speaker at  corporate business conferences, Charlie founded the Creative Engineering  company through which he and his  longtime friend, Denver playwright  and actress   Edith Weiss utilized improv comedy techniques to strengthen employee rapport and facilitate team building throughout  the U.S. The company’s clients  included Harley-Davidson, IBM, and others. 

In the 1980’s, Charlie directed and produced an educational feature film,This Child is Not Along chronicling the birth and ongoing everyday life challenges associated with raising a special needs child. Commissioned by the University of Colorado, the   film was aired on 49 television channels.

Athletically minded by nature, Charlie Johnson was a devoted Chicago Cubs fan who regularly enjoyed skiing, tennis, biking, and hiking and exercised at the gym several times a week. A certified, extensively experienced scuba diver, one of his  most treasured memories involved his experience of snorkeling in the ocean with a wild dolphin who spontaneously befriended him. Although the series of strokes and heart attacks that severely restricted Charlie’s mobility during the last decade  of his life must have been very difficult to bear, he rarely if ever complained. Instead he found  joy in monthly card games, lunches with friends, making friends with neighborhood pets. During the last year of his life, eventually restricted to a wheelchair and dependent on cumbersome oxygen tanks, Charlie  continued to enjoy long, meaningful conversations with his visiting caregiver, James Austin, who became a treasured friend. 

An avid animal lover, Charlie seemed to almost immediately make friends with every dog and cat he encountered and was a devoted “pet parent” throughout his life. He had many beloved longterm pets over the years; all were rescues he adopted and lovingly cared for. Friendly and engaging by nature,  possessing an infectious  sense of humor and a quick wit, he also had many lifelong  human friends and friendly acquaintances. 

Charlie married Yvonne Dolan in1983. The couple divorced in 2001, but remained in contact. They had no children. 

A private Memorial gathering celebrating Charlie Johnson’s life is currently being organized for his  close friends and loved ones. Those wishing to send donations in remembrance of Charlie are invited to make contributions to the Denver Cat Care Society, 5787 W. 6th Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80214.