Hall of Fame
Outstsanding Service (1967-2012)
Dr. Johnson came began his teaching career at Northwest in 1967 after spending the 1966-67 school year teaching in a small northern Minnesota town.
While teaching full time, LeRoy also spent 44 years of involvement with the athletic programs at Northwest as an assistant basketball coach and later as the faculty representative advisor for all athletics teams.
His oldest son, Tim, played four years at Northwest and was on the 1984 team that went to nationals in Springfield, MO. A favorite memory of his is the championship game in the NU gym that sent the team to nationals. With his wife Marilyn was in the stands, Tim on the floor, Tim’s brother Ross in the top row of the bleachers and the youngest brother, Brent, playing guitar in the pep band, and he was on the bench with Head Coach John Brown. A typical Johnson “family night”!
After leaving coaching in 1984 Johnson became the public address announcer and later the Faculty Athletic Representative, which enabled him to continue his involvement with athletics and the athletes at NU.
“I was privileged to be with the men’s team when they won the national championship under Coach Doug Filan, again in Springfield,” said Johnson. “I was also with another men’s team at a national tournament in Indiana, coached by Wayne Mendezona. Back when John Brown was the outstanding floor leader for the Eagles in the mid-70s we also went to a national tournament in Ohio.”
