The PRCC Board of Directors, its leadership and staff, and the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School extend their most heartfelt condolences to Dr. Laura Ruth Johnson and her family on the transition of her father, Leonard. Laura’s history of principled work with the PRCC, beginning with directing the Lolita Lebrón Family Literacy Center in 1993, and solidarity with the the different campaigns that the PRCC, National Boricua Human Rights Network and Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School, ranging from gentrification, public health campaigns, the Puerto Rican political prisoners and Vieques to the Fiscal Junta, and LUMA, are unique.
Laura tells the anecdote that upon suffering an unfortunate accident in the 90s, which necessitated a lengthy hospital stay, the PRCC staff took care of her “24/7,” and her parents rushed up to be with her and kept mentioning to her how impressed they were by the PRCC personnel’s dedication to her well-being. Laura began visiting Oscar López Rivera shortly after, with Luis Alejandro Molina, then with Clarisa López Rivera, then with her daughter Karina, and finally with her daughter Olivia, eventually seeing Oscar free. During the last period of the campaign, Laura’s father saw Laura’s dedication to the campaign through the decades and also came to support Osar’s freedom.
Leonard Edward Johnson (September 17, 1937-August 2, 2025) was born in Holden, Massachusetts and as a child and teenager lived in the Bronx, New York; Silver City, New Mexico; and Walla Walla, Washington. He received a degree in chemical engineering from Washington State University in 1960 and joined the US Air Force as part of the ROTC program, He served for over 25 years—including as part of Strategic Air Command, in the Vietnam War, and at the Pentagon—and received an honorable discharge at the rank of Major.
He was an avid and accomplished golfer, lover of Thai food, jazz music aficionado, and proud cat owner. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ruth Ann Hartley Johnson, of Fairfax, VA, and his twin daughters Ann Elizabeth Johnson and Laura Ruth Johnson and granddaughter Olivia Johnson-Ellis. He will be buried at Arlington Cemetery.
