Obituary of Dennis Johnson

Mr. Dennis Johnson of Calgary passed away in Mexico on Tuesday, January 11, 2011. John "Dennis" Johnson was born in the farming community of New Norway, Alberta, the second of three boys born to Verle and Lawrence Johnson. Dennis is survived by his parents; his two brothers, David and Rodger; and numerous nieces and nephews. Dennis attended school in Edberg, Alberta. He spent his high school years at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School in Red Deer and at Camrose Lutheran College. He then attended the University of Alberta, where he received a Bachelor of Education degree. After a brief time teaching school in Stettler, Alberta, in 1979, Dennis joined the faculty of Red Deer College, where he taught English and Communications. In 1981, Dennis took on an added challenge that was to define his life from then on. He was appointed Managing Editor, and later Publisher, of Red Deer College Press, and given a tiny budget and a big mandate to rejuvenate a floundering small press. His energy, imagination, and tenacity built for RDC Press a national profile as a publisher in poetry, fiction, drama, cooking, gardening, and travel - but especially children's literature. Kathy Shute, former director of the Book Publishers Association of Alberta and lifelong friend, wrote the following when nominating Dennis for a Lifetime Achievement Award last year: "Based first in Red Deer, Dennis served as a member publisher outside of Edmonton and Calgary, representing literary presses, and to that end drove thousands of miles to meetings, rarely missing for reasons of weather. Dennis also served on the Association of Canadian Publishers executive representing Alberta interests to the national conversation. He participated in lobby efforts in Ottawa with Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council and the Association for the Export of Canadian Books. He also served on the Literary Press Group, worked with and was a board member of the Canadian Children's Book Centre and participated in every book fair or event with the Press, taking the authors and their books to the public. On behalf of his authors, he took his rights contracts to many international book fairs in London, Frankfurt, Bologna as well as BookExpo America, where he sold rights for Alberta-published books, most from Alberta authors and illustrators. That list of rights sales was impressive, and I recall many times working either in an exhibit booth with him or in a booth beside him and he sourced every angle he could think of to market his authors and sell their books. Even more impressive is the recognition that the books received both locally, provincially, nationally and internationally, including consistent wins from the Association. No other press in Alberta has received the recognition and awards that the books Dennis published have. I credit that to the fact that Dennis was himself a brilliant editor, a terrific publisher and a skilled marketer—all hallmarks of what it takes to publish books in this province. RDP books won publishers, author and illustrator awards—a strong achievement. Over the years it seemed that Dennis rarely slept, smoked a lot, drove a lot, and always worked, which seemed to be the only way he could move the Press and its books forward. He published many first-time authors of children's and young adult books, which are the most expensive and time-consuming books to produce and market. He pushed himself and his staff to have the books to reach readers, which is the goal of book publishing. He recognized the need to grow the Press and hired a skilled staff that remained loyal to the mandate of the Press, a none-too-easy task at Red Deer. Many of those trained by Dennis successfully continue in the publishing industry today. His annoyance with the lack of support from the Alberta government frequently spilled over, but when asked, he was the first member to be visiting his MLAs to get them on side. His letters to government are legendary and well worth reading. He moved the Press to Calgary, renaming and rebranding it, looking to move it forward. Eventually, the Press was sold to Fitzhenry &Whiteside and the Calgary office closed. This was difficult for Dennis, to say the least, but he continued working on books, deals and contracts, though with a less public presence. One of my favourite stories about Dennis is from the 1980s, when Allan and I went to Bologna for the Children's Book Fair. Exhausted and expecting to get Italian lira at the exchange counter, we didn't know that everything shuts down in the afternoon in Italy. We looked around and there, amazingly, was Dennis, dressed to the nines, and leaning against a wall. Hey Dennis, we said, do you have any lira? Sure, says Dennis, and gives us half of what he had in his pocket—enough to get us to our hotel and a big meal. Saved our lives and I will always love him for that. " In 2000, the growth and evolution of the company, renamed Red Deer Press, led to a relocation to affiliate with the University of Calgary. In 2005, the Press was acquired by Fitzhenry and Whiteside in Markham, Ontario. Dennis continued as Publisher, based in Calgary, until 2007. Afterwards, Dennis remained active as a literary and publishing consultant, while taking time off periodically to enjoy the warmth of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, where he passed away suddenly. Under Dennis's leadership Red Deer Press was honoured six times as Publisher of the Year by the Book Publishers Association of Alberta, and received over 300 other provincial, national, and international credits, including a Governor General's Award for Children's Literature Illustration by Murray Kimber for Josepha: a Prairie Boy's Story in 1994. Dennis served as President of the Book Publishers Association of Alberta, and was honoured by the City of Red Deer with a Mayor's Special Award in 1992. Dennis took greatest pride in bringing Canadian stories, especially those from the Prairies, to readers across the country, and around the world, as the books are distributed internationally, and many were translated and re-published in other languages and countries. Countless authors and illustrators benefitted from his gift for discovering and mentoring new talent, and for inspiring his publishing team to do their best work for the sake of the book. Nik Burton, Managing Editor of Coteau Books and the person Dennis called his best friend and holder of all his secrets, wrote, "Dennis loved books, and loved making books. He had more book ideas than a dozen publishers could have realized, and was always on the alert for the next great idea, the next great story, the next great deal. And he was good at finding them - gregarious and sociable, he had many friends, connections and sources all over the world. He was demanding to work with and put off more than a few people. But his enthusiasm and his charm were infectious and he will be missed by many. I used to tell Dennis a story that he resisted as being about him, but was about him all the same. "Reasonable men," I'd say, "see the world as it is and try to fit themselves into it. Unreasonable men see the world as it could be and try to fit the world into their vision. That's why all progress depends on unreasonable men." To those of us who knew and loved Dennis, he was fiercely loyal, generous to a fault, and had an indomitable spirit. He loved fine wine and scotch, enjoyed cooking, and loved gardening. As always, he excelled in all that he did. We find consolation in knowing that he spent his last years living where he wanted and doing what made him happy, and that - as would matter most to Dennis -- his books will live on. "He was an amazing person, and I learned a tremendous amount from him. I consider him a friend, a mentor, my publisher, and a really great reader of literature in general and a champion of Canadian writing in particular. My only consolation is that he spent his last years living where he wanted and doing what made him happy." -Nicole Markotic (RD Press author) "He did so much for Canadian books, publishing, authors and illustrators. He was as loyal a friend as ever there was. He certainly shone bright and my comfort is that his irreverent spirit is still with us. We are so lucky to have been his friend." - Kathleen Waldron (RD Press author) "Dennis Johnson's imagination and energy soon gave a small regional press a national profile. Above all, Dennis could spot talent - he hired the gifted Tim Wynne-Jones as his children's editor in 1990 - and together with his hardworking staff he developed a stable of authors and illustrators who have become widely known as among the best of Canada's storytellers for young people: Martine Leavitt, Ron Lightburn, Murray Kimber, Georgia Graham, Nan Gregory, Beth Goobie, Teresa Toten, Rick Book, and many others. One of his key initiatives was in developing a line of translated and award-winning teen novels from Quebec - notably The Road to Chlifa by Michele Marineau - which has allowed the English-speaking audience to become acquainted with the diverse and potent voices in French Canada. Red Deer Press was Dennis's life, and as it flourishes today, its program is greatly beholden to his original vision." - Peter Carver (RD Press Children's Book Editor) Cremation has taken place. A funeral service was held on Thursday, January 20, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. from The First Baptist Church, 6406 - 44B Avenue, Camrose, Alberta, (780) 672-4832 with Rev. Patrick Schoeberger officiating. A memorial for friends and colleagues is being planned for Red Deer in February. Memorial contributions may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.