Obituary of Jeffrey George Johnson

Jeffrey George Johnson, 63, of Viera, FL, passed away on February 24, 2024 at home surrounded by his loving family after a heroic battle with pancreatic cancer. A beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Jeff was born on June 8, 1960 in Winter Park, FL the third child of George W. and Nancy Johnson. He has joined his parents in Heaven leaving behind his three sisters, “the girls”: Cathrine Oller (Jerry), Judith Johnson, and his “baby sister”, Jennifer Erst (Fred).

Jeff is survived by the "love of his life”, Stephanie Johnson. He leaves behind his proudest accomplishments—his children: Danielle Joseph (Joseph), Amanda Elke (Ryan), Zachary Chiles, Kirsten Dumont (Dillan) and David Place (Jessy). The “Joseph Sisters”, Sadie (8), Haleigh (6), and Rosie (4), will greatly miss their Papa Jeff or “PJ”, as Jeff’s three beautiful granddaughters called him. His grandchildren were his heart.

Jeff possessed an extraordinary zest for life that was magnetic and contagious. He had a way of connecting with others on a deeper level and fostering that bond of friendship. Jeff was a loyal friend. He had a wide array of passions and hobbies that brought him immense joy.

Athleticism and sports were paramount in Jeff’s life. Jeff competed in track at Winter Park High School. In college, he participated in the Army ROTC color guard as well as worked on the Gator Growl. In his adult life, Jeff regularly played ice hockey and competed in endurance sports such as triathlons and half marathons. In the last two years of his life, Jeff could be found daily at the gym with his gym family.

Jeff was an avid reader, finding solace in the pages of the Wall Street Journal and economics books. Jeff had a soft spot for romantic comedies and was sure Steve Carrell had stolen his life story. He loved firing up the barbecue and hosting dinner parties creating cherished memories with friends and family. Jeff could be found on Saturdays watching Gator football games, whether he was live at the “Swamp” tailgating or watching from his cozy recliner.

Throughout his career, Jeff worked hard in a variety of fields. After graduating from University of Florida with a degree in Communications and Journalism, Jeff served four years in the Army specializing in linguistics (Turkish) and artillery. He took pride in his military service achieving the rank of Captain and loved his country. After military service, Jeff found great success in finance and economics working as a stock broker and later financial advisor. He was fascinated with making economics “sexy”. Yearning to have others see finance and economics in a tangible way as he did. This sparked his interest in becoming a teacher and professor of Economics. At age 58, Jeff earned his Masters Degree in Economics from Southern New Hampshire University. He went on to teach economics at Heritage High School, Eastern Florida State College, and Southern New Hampshire University prior to his retirement. Jeff’s dedication and commitment to his work were truly commendable.

Jeff had many quirky sayings and would quote random movies often. His life motto was "live like you are dying” after the Tim McGraw song. In the spirit of live like you are dying, Stephanie and Jeff traveled to see Tim McGraw live after his cancer diagnosis. Jeff wore this motto on a leather cuff as a reminder to seize every moment and cherish the time we have on this Earth.

Jeffrey George Johnson will be remembered for his authentic spirit, his love for his family and country, as well as his infectious zest for life. He will be deeply missed and forever cherished in the hearts of all who knew him.

A Celebration of Life will be held on March 9, 2024 at 3:00 pm at the Church at Viera, 9005 N. Wickham Rd. Melbourne, FL 32940. We ask friends and family to wear purple, Jeff’s favorite color, in his honor. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to be made to the Jeff Johnson Memorial Business Scholarship at Eastern Florida State College in Jeff's memory. Donations can be made online at efscfoundation.org.