In Memoriam: Dr. William George Johnson

Published on Monday, November 25, 2024

The Medical Center extends its sympathy to the family of a former faculty member in appreciation for the loved one’s contributions to the academic health sciences center.

Dr. William George Johnson

Dr. William George Johnson of Folly Beach, South Carolina, an expert on eating disorders and a member of faculty of the UMMC Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior for nearly three decades, died at his home on October 15, 2024. He was 85.

Johnson joined the Medical Center as an associate professor of psychiatry in July 1975 and retired from the Medical Center in June 2003 as a full professor.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, he was a lacrosse athlete at Baltimore City College High School and was a member of the varsity at the University of Maryland. He also coached lacrosse at Georgetown University, the University of Rochester and The Citadel Military College of South Carolina. Later, he became a nationally-ranked age-group triathlete for more than a decade. He was an avid swimmer, cyclist and runner.

For two years, he served in the U.S. Army as a Field Artillery Forward Observer before entering the University of Maryland, where he earned his BA in psychology. 

He received a graduate degree in psychology at American University in Washington, D.C, and a PhD in Clinical Psychology at The Catholic University of America. After leaving UMMC, he held professorships at the University of Rochester and The Citadel, where he retired as an emeritus professor in 2017.

Johnson published more than 70 articles, books and book chapters on obesity, eating disorders and related subjects. He participated in a variety of workshops at national and international conferences, and presented more than 100 papers in the U.S. and abroad. 

Also an expert witness in criminal and civil trials, he published a number of articles on criminal responsibility and evaluating competency to stand trial. 

Johnson was a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Society of Behavioral Medicine, and a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology.