Gerard Philip Johnson, resident of Bethlehem, Conn., died August 5, 2012, at the age of 86, from a heart attack.

Born in Bronxville, New York on May 1, 1926, he grew up in Georgetown, Conn. At the age of 17, he joined the United States Navy, and served on a naval air station in Hutchinson, Kansas during WWII, as Hospital Apprentice First Class, completing his service in May, 1946. He worked for the Connecticut Light & Power Company after the War, and married his wife, Maureen Heanue Johnson, in 1956. Maureen predeceased him in February of this year. In the 1960s, after completing his degree in teaching at Western Connecticut State University, Gerard began a new career as a music teacher, building on his accomplishments as a classical pianist. He taught at John Jay Junior High School, in the Katonah-Lewisboro district, New York, for 21 years.

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, he is survived by his daughters Mary Johnson, Deirdre Johnson, and Hilary Johnson, a son Martin, his daughter-in-law Kate, two grandsons, Andrew Johnson and Dylan Johnson, and 16 nieces and nephews. Two brothers, Julius “Sonny” Johnson, Jr. of Georgetown, Conn., and Brian Johnson, of Brooklyn, Conn., predeceased him.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 49 South Street, Litchfield, Conn., at 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 9th. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Abbey of Regina Laudis, 273 Flanders Rd., Bethlehem, Conn., 06751, toward the New Horizons Restoration Project Fund.

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