Stephen C. Johnson ’64

Steve died March 22, 2018, at his home in Atherton, Calif.

He came to Princeton from West Hartford, Conn. He majored in electrical engineering, ate at Tiger Inn, rowed with the varsity heavyweight crew, and was a Keyceptor. His senior-year roommates were Paul Bjorkholm, Steve Gimber, Paul Mills, Ed Murphy, and Dick Park.

Steve earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Mexico and an MBA from Harvard.

In June 1964 Steve married his high school sweetheart, Marty Whittle. In 1968 they moved to Northern California, where Steve worked in the computer business for the rest of his career. His longest stint was as president and CEO at the Silicon Valley startup company Komag, which became the world’s largest manufacturer of sputtered thin-film media. He was also on the boards of many startup companies, where he freely shared his wisdom and experience.

In 2011 Steve suffered a stroke that left him in a wheelchair, severely compromised on his right side and unable to speak. Fortunately, his 24-carat smile and his inquiring mind remained bright and almost as sharp as ever up to the end.

Steve and Marty had two sons, Matthew and David, both of whom live with their wives in California. Steve also leaves behind four grandchildren. For Steve, family and friends were the most important aspect of his life. Steve’s brother, Craig Johnson ’66, predeceased him.

Marty hosted a memorial gathering at their home in Atherton April 21, 2018, where many happy memories were shared. A further gathering is planned at their cottage in Wolfeboro, N.H., Aug. 4, 2018.