John W. Johnson passed away on June 19, 2025. He led a long and - most times - happy life based on the principle that simple minds are easily amused. A long time resident of nowhere, he enjoyed life’s journey by having long stints in the Pacific Northwest, the Caribbean and in his native habitat of the Jersey Shore and south of 23rd Street in New York City. John Johnson was born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1937 and was a member of the graduating Class of Middletown Township High School in 1955. Following service in the U.S. Navy, he received his Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration from Monmouth College in 1962. By then, he had already begun his professional career as securities analyst with Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith in 1961. He was known throughout his forty-one year career as a contrarian investor who invested in out-of-favor stocks and bonds. John had leadership roles in a number of investment companies and brokerage firms over the years: These included Murphey Favre; The Composite Funds; Nomura Securities; ABD Securities; The Lexington Funds; Templeton Debrow & Vance; Cable, House & Ragen; Kennedy Associates and Crabbe Huson. Following his retirement from the business in 2002, he established residence on the Island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. There he managed his personal investments and authored as series of books of historical fiction to depict the sixty year secular bull market following World War II (www.harrybroadtape.com). John was a Chartered Financial Analyst, Chartered Investment Counselor and member of New York Society of Securities Analysts. Socially, he was generally regarded as a walking example of a social disease to any fraternal organization that had accepted him as a member. He is survived by his wife Karen of 50 years and children: Phyllis Reed of Bath, England; Christopher Johnson of Florida; Marie Johnson and granddaughter Maggie and grandson Liam of Denver, Colorado. The only remembrance the deceased had requested is that the celebrants of his life go out and have a real good time; remembering how absolutely ridiculous he had been in his moral existence… and to pretend that he was paying for their party.