Peter A. Johnson ’59

Peter A. Johnson ’59 of Newport, New Hampshire, formerly of Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, passed away on April 3. He was born October 1, 1937, to Albin and Helen Johnson and graduated from Norwood (Massachusetts) High School. At Dartmouth he majored in physics and was a member of Kappa Kappa Kappa and the Russian Club. Peter was in Navy ROTC and received his commission upon graduation. He was assigned to naval flight school and received his wings in 1960. He was an A-4 carrier pilot. After serving in the Navy, Peter started a career in the defense industry by joining Sanders Inc in Nashua, New Hampshire. Other employment included Lab-X, Sippican, and Tekla Research and consulting work. He was an avid fisherman and the former owner of Larry’s Tackle in Edgartown, Massachusetts. He and his wife, Lena, became the owners of Robert’s Lures in 1997 and later also bought Hammer Lures and Yankee Lures. His love of fishing went beyond merely owning and running these businesses. He continuously developed and tested new designs, and always had time to talk with other fishermen. Peter was a longtime member of the Martha’s Vineyard Surfcaster’s Association and the 2017 recipient of its Sportsmanship Award and a supporter of the Wounded Warrior program. Peter is survived by Lena and children Peter ’82, Scott, Chris, Holly, Gail, Mike, Frederick, and Edward and their families, including five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.