Dr. Richard V. Johnson

Age 83, of Minnetonka, passed away June 20th, 2023. Preceded in death by his parents, Elnora and Elmer Johnson. Survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Bonnie; his sister Sharolyn Hermann (Glenn); his children: Jenny (Chad), Erik (Lauren), and Randy (Teresa); his grandchildren: Katelyn, Ingrid, Grant, Niko, Amelia and Rebecca; his many nieces and nephews.

Born February 24, 1940 in Minneapolis, Richard graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1957 before beginning studies in music at the University of Minnesota. Music would continue to play a significant part of his life, including as a source of income to pay his way through college (with gigs starting back as far as ninth grade on the accordion and continuing through high school and college as a jazz pianist), but Richard changed his focus of study to medicine and graduated in1961 before moving on to the University of Minnesota Medical School, an internship at Presbyterian St. Luke’s Hospital in Chicago, IL, and a neurology residency at the University of Minnesota.

He became chief of neurology at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois in 1968 as a captain in the U.S. Air Force and then returned once more to Minnesota as a neurologist with the Minneapolis Clinic of Psychiatry and Neurology before becoming one of the founding members of the Noran Neurological Clinic, working there until 1998, when he retired. During his professional career, Richard at one time served as president of the Minnesota Society of Neurological Sciences, associate clinical professor of the University of Minnesota Department of Neurology, chief of staff at Unity Hospital, and director of the Balance Disorders Clinic at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital.

Besides orchestra rehearsals and concerts on cello, chamber music with friends, jazz gigs, a klezmer band and jamming and recording sessions from Minnesota to Montana, retirement provided time for visits with family, learning a new language with his beloved Italian group, and voyages around the world.

Revered as an extremely competent physician and musician, Richard’s interest in and love for his family and friends, humility and unassuming humor are perhaps some of his most beloved traits among those close to him, and help make up many of our most cherished memories of this wonderful husband, brother, father and grandfather.

Visitation will be held on Monday, June 26th at 9:30am at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church 630 E. Wayzata Blvd.,  Wayzata, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30am.

Memorials are preferred to the Parkinson's Foundation.