Douglas Keith Johnson

Douglas Keith “Shadroe” Johnson, 66, of Mableton, GA, passed away on Monday, April 6, 2020, at home after nearly a year long battle with metastatic bladder cancer.

Born on July 9, 1953, in Pasadena, CA, to the late Roger Q Johnson and Loretta Waterman Filker, Doug was a career scientist, protector of the environment, and amateur musician. He attended El Camino College in Torrance, CA, where he received his AA degree, followed by earning his BS in Marine Biology at California State University, Long Beach, CA. While in college, Doug started work in his dream field of marine biology, which evolved into aquatic toxicology, and later led to his 21 year career with the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Doug believed strongly in the EPA mission, and spent most of his time there in the Ocean Dumping Program, becoming an expert on contaminated sediments and a mentor to many inside and outside the agency. He retired from the EPA in 2013.

Doug was an avid musician, playing guitar and then bass through most of his adult life. He loved spending time playing music with his buddies, and really enjoyed the various music festivals hosted by longtime friends. He started his own musical gathering in 2010 and called it the Fat Man in a Bathtub Blues Festival, after a beloved Little Feat song.

Doug is survived by his wife of 41 years, Christy Hopkins Johnson, of Mableton, GA, and two daughters: Rachel Scott and husband Kris of Powder Springs, GA; and Maggie Cole and husband Alan of Douglasville, GA; as well as two grandchildren, Jordan Cole and Finley Cole. He is also survived by his sister Pam Poole and husband Johnny of Douglasville, GA, and brother Gary Childs and wife Pam of Needles, CA.

A Celebration of Life will be planned at a later date.