Spring 2008 - Canadian Institute of Transportation Engineers

BOB JOHNSONREMEMBEREDBob Johnson was a long-time member and supporterof CITE in the Hamilton/Niagara area. Sadly, he passedaway at the beginning of February 2008 at a far tooearly age. He will be missed by all in the CITE.Bob was employed with the Region of Niagara for over 25 years,most recently as Assistant Director, Transportation Planning. Hestayed actively involved with CITE throughout his working career,but he will be most fondly remembered as a great mentor for thestudents at Mohawk College. He was on the Hamilton Sectionexecutive and was involved in organizing the quarterly meetings.In 2000 the Hamilton Section hosted the CITE National Conferencein Niagara Falls and Bob was a key contributor to the organizingcommittee.Bob was somebody who you could count on to do his share whensomething had to be done. In preparation for the 2000 CITEConference, Bob volunteered to coordinate securing items for thedelegate bags. The week before the event was to start thematerials had not arrived and some on the organizing committeewere getting nervous. But true to his word, on the evening beforethe conference started, he came through and unloaded box afterbox of “goodies” that he had landed. There were canvas bags,coasters, pocket knives, hats, decks of cards, even full sizedumbrellas (none of those folding little pocket things). Bob hadleveraged the budget he had been given and cajoled items fromlocal businesses to give us so much stuff it took all night to loadthe registrant’s bags. Many CITE members in the Niagara area stillhave their umbrellas and we will all remember Bob on those rainydays.Thanks Bob.I have known Bob for over 30 years. He was kind of a mentor forme when I first started my transportation career. I think he wasone of the first transportation engineering graduate classes atMohawk College. In the early 80’s we both worked at the NiagaraRegion and in those days Bob was a pretty good slow pitch player.We both made the Niagara Region slow pitch team. We played forfun, not to win, and we had great fun playing in tournaments. Wewere both playing in a tournament when I met my wife.More recently Bob and I were hanging out at the lake anytime Iwent back to southern Ontario. He loved his cottage but stillmaintained a passion for his job and for the Niagara Region. I wasshocked to hear of his passing but would like to take this time toremember him and the fun times.I’ll miss our visits.Submitted by: ....................Mike Skene, with contributions fromJohn McGill, Brian Malone, Dan Havercroft and Staff atNiagara RegionSpring 2008 9