Students and Teachers Mourn Popular Instructor

Hundreds of students, teachers, friends and family members gathered Friday to pay tribute to H. Richard Johnson, a popular San Fernando High School teacher who suffered a fatal heart attack last September while giving an orientation program for sophomores.

With speeches, poetry and songs, Johnson’s students and colleagues described how his energy, dedication and good humor inspired both students and teachers to excel. The language building, where Johnson put in many extra hours after class to counsel and tutor students, was renamed in his honor. Johnson, who was 67, taught more than 40 years.

He literally died doing what he liked best, friends said. “He died with his boots on,” said Yolanda Tarango, assistant principal. He could have retired at 65, but couldn’t leave his students, reading teacher Jerry Spitz told the crowd.