Walter F. Johnson, Jr.

Walter F. Johnson, Jr. passed away peacefully on March 13, 2026 at the age of 82 after a long battle with prostate cancer.

A native New Orleanian and longtime resident of Algiers, Walter graduated from Martin Behrman High School in 1962 before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps, where he served four years on active duty and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Louisiana Tech University, a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Arizona in 1971, and completed additional post-graduate work in Visual and Environmental Studies at Harvard University. A Fulbright Scholar, he studied Indian art and culture at Banaras Hindu University.

Walter devoted his career to teaching, beginning as an adjunct instructor at the University of Arizona, Pima Community College, and Concordia University in New Orleans. He then served a 40-year tenure at Delgado Community College, where he taught fine arts and visual communications and played a key role in developing the fine arts curriculum. In 1987 he was named the college’s first recipient of the Seymour Weiss Excellence in Teaching Award, and he retired in 2016 as Professor of Art with meritorious commendation.

In addition to his academic work, Walter maintained an active gallery career. His paintings have been exhibited in numerous museums and galleries, with one work held in the permanent collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art, where it remains on display, and others residing in private collections. As a younger man he also studied the martial arts and earned a first-degree black belt in Taekwondo.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter F. Johnson, Sr. and Marie H. Johnson; his brothers, Wayne T. Johnson Sr., Warren J. Johnson, and Kenneth J. Johnson; and his nephew, Wayne T. (Shea) Johnson, Jr. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Suzanne V. Johnson; his niece, Shannon Johnson Uschold (Jim); his great-nieces, Doriana and Ariana Uschold; and many other relatives and friends.