Kent R. Johnson
July 21, 1949 - April 1, 2018
Kent R. (KR) Johnson made his final exit, to be remembered as a man for all ages, on Sunday, April 1, 2018.
Kent was born on July 21, 1949 in Wichita, Kansas to Claude and Dorothy (Duckrow)
Johnson, moving as a child to Orange County, California, where he grew up. He
attended the University of California, Irvine as a marine biology major, developing a
deep love for collecting specimens from the tide pools of Corona del Mar and
collecting books from the shops of LA. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree, Kent
moved to Indiana to pursue Master’s degrees in philosophy of science and library
science at Indiana University, Bloomington.
In 1981 Kent took the position of Library Director and Assistant Professor of Library
Science at Purdue North Central where he devoted himself to developing the library's
holdings in literature, poetry, philosophy, and natural science, finally retiring in 2015.
He also taught ethics, philosophy of science, and Great Issues classes for over two
decades.
A true renaissance man, Kent also loved the theatre, giving performances playing the
poet John Donne and doing poetry readings for Purdue North Central students and
staff. He occasionally taught classes wearing period costumes with a flair only he could
achieve. He loved and collected rare costumes, sabres and top hats, and enjoyed
entertaining his niece and nephew during visits.
Kent collected rare books as well, from Irish poets to physicists. The works of John
Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts held treasured places in his heart. He excelled in
photography, winning prizes for his portrait work, and enjoyed capturing the rare
appearance of an aurora borealis or a thoughtful expression on a colleague's face.
Wherever he went, he quickly endeared people with a turn of phrase or thoughtful
conversation, always ready to offer a cigar or a beer to a stranger.
He leaves behind to remember him a sister, Claudia Nauth of Berea, Ohio; a nephew,
Alex (Erin) Nauth and a grandnephew, Rene of Cincinnati, Ohio; a niece, Brittany (Odin)
Tangvald of New Jersey; best friends John Peterson of Redondo Beach, California;
Connie Szawara of La Porte; Beth Rudnick of Michigan City; Mark (Beth) Macik of
Michigan City; all of his golf buddies; the bartenders and book dealers and antique
storekeepers whom he befriended along his way; decades of colleagues and students
whose lives he touched; and his beloved cats - Lysistrata, Comtessa Dia, Eowyn, and
Kilo.
A celebration will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, to honor Kent, live life with
curiosity, delight, and generosity to others. Memorial donations may be made in his
name to the Independent Cat Society in Westville, Indiana. To paraphrase Hamlet,
"Alas, poor Roscius! I knew him, Malvolio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent
fancy."
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