Peter Reginald Johnson
elevated mmgVx January 16, 1932 – October 8, 2025
elevated mmgVx Visitation
Thursday, October 16, 2025 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Queen of Heaven Catholic Funeral Home
7300 Highway 27, Woodbridge, Ontario L4H 4Y8
elevated mmgVx Visitation
Friday, October 17, 2025 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm & 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Queen of Heaven Catholic Funeral Home
7300 Highway 27, Woodbridge, Ontario L4H 4Y8
elevated mmgVx Funeral Mass
Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 11:00 am
Holy Family Parish
1372 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario M6K 1H3
elevated mmgVx Reception to follow the Mass in the church hall.
elevated mmgVx Interment
Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery – Section 1
7300 Highway 27, Woodbridge, Ontario L4H 4Y8
elevated mmgVx Obituary
elevated mmgVx Peacefully on October 8, 2025 in his 94th year. Predeceased by his beloved wife Judy. Leaves behind his loving children Steve (Kristan), Beth, Kara, Vicki (Patrick) Zirnhelt, and Christy (Rick) Soucy, his 14 grandchildren Bridget, Simon, Margot, Tessa, and William Johnson; Abbey (Joel) Krikorian, Kate, Peter, Gregory, Madelyn, Christian, and Hope Zirnhelt; and Claire and Adam Soucy, and the two great grand-children who brought special joy to his very last years of life, Jackson and Brooklyn Krikorian.
elevated mmgVx In Tottenham and “down East” and across the country, his Johnson nieces and nephews and cousins grieve the passing of a kindly and revered patriarch. At the cottage in Noyan, Quebec, where he delighted with the Fitzpatrick clan in the most regularly glorious sunsets anywhere, his sisters- and brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews mourn the loss of his special affection and gentlemanly presence.
elevated mmgVx Born at home in Northern Bay, Newfoundland in 1932—before it was Canada, he relished pointing out—Peter was the baby of seven children.
elevated mmgVx A lifelong educator, he was respected and treasured by colleagues and students alike for his smile, good humour, kindness, wisdom, steady support, and mentorship.
elevated mmgVx A proud Edmundian, his association with the Irish Christian Brothers brought him to his professional vocation as a teacher and took him across Canada and to New York state, where he obtained his master’s in education at Fordham.
elevated mmgVx In Montreal in the early ‘60s, teaching at St. Thomas High School, he met and began 53 years of married life with Judith Fitzpatrick.
elevated mmgVx In 1968 he was the founding principal of Wilder Penfield School, and he was proud to have instigated naming the school in the famed surgeon’s honour. He was also instrumental in establishing the French Immersion program in the English Catholic school system in Quebec.
elevated mmgVx Moving to Toronto in 1977, he served as school administrator for a few years, but the remainder of his educational career was spent as Principal of Continuing Education—everything that happened outside of the regular school day—for the Dufferin-Peel Separate School Board.
elevated mmgVx Combining his passions for education and politics, he was elected a Toronto Catholic District School Board trustee for a term. He also supervised teaching students of Canisius College.
elevated mmgVx A lifelong artist with an eye for beauty, his oil paintings provided treasures to family members as they made their preferred subjects known to him.
elevated mmgVx Retirement (and a flight attendant daughter) made it easy for him and Judy to explore the world, whether visiting their children during their times overseas or on cruises. Judy became an expert at finding online deals. He always loved looking out at the water.
elevated mmgVx For many years, he volunteered regularly at Campaign Life Coalition, sharing not only filing skills but his affability and warm joviality with the office.
elevated mmgVx He served Our Lord as a lector at St. Clement’s parish and, with Judy, coordinated scheduling for Perpetual Adoration chapels at St. Clement’s and then Transfiguration parish, often covering hours in the middle of the night for those needing a replacement. Knowing by our Catholic faith that those times of special union were a foretaste of eternal life, his children ask, as he did, those so inclined to offer prayers and Masses which hasten his entry into Heaven.
elevated mmgVx He will be terribly missed by all who knew him, but we are comforted that he looked hopefully forward to meeting his Creator and reuniting with Judy, his parents, siblings and their spouses, and the too-many Fitzpatricks who predeceased him.
elevated mmgVx The family wishes to express our deep gratitude for his care at the Village of Humber Heights where so many of the staff have expressed their sadness at his passing.
elevated mmgVx In lieu of flowers, if desired, donations may be made to registered charities Mary Mother of God School, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College, or, in the US, to Christ the King parish earmarked for Holy Family Academy (in Towson, MD).
elevated mmgVx Friends may call at the Queen of Heaven Funeral Home, 7300 Highway #27,
Woodbridge, on Thursday October 16 from 6-8 p.m. and Friday October 17 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Rosary Prayers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
elevated mmgVx The Funeral Mass will be held at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, 1372 King St. W., Toronto, on Saturday, October 18, at 11 a.m. Reception to follow in church hall, followed by departure by 1:30 pm for Interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
elevated mmgVx Online condolences may be made through the Catholic Cemeteries webpage.
elevated mmgVx https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/9842?v2=true
elevated mmgVx https://www.seatofwisdom.ca/support/
elevated mmgVx https://www.ctktowson.org/give
Praying the repose of Mr. Johnson’s soul and for peace for the whole family for this big loss.
To Steve, Beth, Kara, Vicki, Christy and families…
Our sincerest sympathies on tehdeath of your father. I wa sone of his stdunts whenhe atugh high school at St. Pius X High School in Montreal.
Over the last 20 years or so, I’ve had the privilege of recomnecting with my old teacher who taught me over 60 years ago. I got to know him, his wife, and his wonderful amazing children. The respect and love shown to this man is incredible and richly deserved.
You were a role model in the lives of many young men at the time, including me.
Farewell, my friend. Pat and I will miss our visits and out chats.
You are now in Heaven joing the Lord and with Judy, the love of your life…
Prayers & thoughts go out to both families.Peter was a teacher for some of my classes at St.Pius X High School in Montreal in the 60’s
To Kara and family
My sincerest condolences. What a handsome Dad and amazing person….so many great professional works at the service of others. We need more strong Christian role models like him. May Our Lady, who took him in October, ease the pain
In your hearts. Carol 💕
Peter was my teacher at St. Thomas High School in Pointe Claire Quebec, and then later my parishioner at St. Clement Church in Etobicoke. He always impressed me by the depth of his faith and by his wisdom. May he rest in peace. Amen!
Brother Peter Johnson was my high school teacher and cadet moderator during the late fifties at St. Patrick’s Hall School in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. He always treated us with kindness and respect and was a positive influence on many young people! May he Rest In Peace!
Most sincere condolences to family and friends of a truly unique individual who has lived life to the fullest. Recalling my years at St. Pius X and now reading his obituary, it is
a life story that none of us could have expected nor emulated. God bless and keep Peter in warm embrace
Mes plus sincères condoléances a toute la famille et amis. Mes pensées sont avec vous . So sorry I can’t be there to give you comfort. My prayers and love are with you
My co-worker at St Thomas High, my dear friend, along with his much loved Judy and godfather to my son, I will miss you but know that you are safe in God’s arms.
Deep sympathy to all the family. This will be a terrible loss. But you will now have both parents watching over you.
A wonderful life come to its earthly end, Condolences to Kara and all the Johnson clan. Got to know Peter briefly while at Dufferin-Peel, but much more through his and Judy’s volunteer days at Campaign Life Coalition Kind, astute, politically wise and ornery in his own unique way, Peter shone wherever he served as an educator and a Christian gentleman, proud of his roots and generous of spirit. May God have mercy on his soul and may he rest in peace.
Remembering many happy times at ST. Thomas High school and many other great moments at both our dinner tables. Peter came into my life through my friendship with Judy. It was certainly ‘back in the day’.
My sincere sympathy Steve Beth Kara Vicki & Christy and all the family. It’s a huge loss, but we have been blessed with long life and strong meaningful families and are grateful for the life of this good man.
[Very nice to see Lorna Townson’s name there! :-)]
Our condolences to the Johnson clan on your loss.
Peter was strong, faithful, humourous,and steadfast. Above all, he was a loving husband and father. We remember his enjoyment of all the activities in Noyan, and of course, the occasional rum and coke.
While he will be greatly missed, you can take solace in the fact that he had a long, productive, and happy life.
May he rest in peace.
Jim, Karen, and Daniel.
Sincerest condolences to you all on the loss of your father. I have many fond memories of your father growing up in Northern Bay and of course on his many visits to Newfoundland. Myself & Bern and all the McCarthy’s enjoyed his stay with us.
Take Care,
Mary Cahill
To the Johnson Family praying for the repose of your Father and grandfather Peter. We are very blessed to have known him and benefitted from his wisdom and good humor. He was a great man and loved by those who knew him. He will be missed but comforting that he will now be with the love of his life, a dear friend to me, Judy.🙏❤️