Principal at Middle School Is Dead at 44

Mesa View Middle School Principal Steven Wade Johnson died Thursday at his Tustin home, apparently of a heart attack. He was 44.

Johnson was hired by Ocean View School District in August 1993 as principal of Mesa View. A year later, he assumed additional duties as the district’s director of computer education.

District officials said that Johnson, who had spent more than 20 years in education, loved his job and was respected by his peers and his students.

“He was one of the top educators that I have known,” Supt. James R. Tarwater said. “He gave his heart and soul to the kids--they always came first--and he provided the necessary tools for teachers to always do their optimum best.”

Johnson began his teaching career in 1973 with the Fountain Valley School District, where he spent a number of years as a teacher, activities director and assistant principal.

In 1989, he became assistant principal at Buena Park Junior High School. In 1991, he joined Saddleback Valley Unified School District, where he was assistant principal at Serrano Intermediate School.

Johnson is survived by his wife, Miriam, a teacher at Venado Middle School in Irvine; three children, Derek, 15, William, 11, and Joanna, 8; his parents, Glen and Barbara Johnson of Chino; his grandmother, Daisy Grant of La Habra; two brothers, Jerry and Jim Johnson, both of Spokane, Wash.; and sister, Glenda Jarboe, of Oroville, Calif.

A memorial service will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Aldersgate United Methodist Church of Tustin. Visitation will be on Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m. at Saddleback Chapel in Tustin.

The family requests that contributions be made to The Steven W. Johnson Memorial Fund, in care of Orange County Teachers Federal Credit Union, Attn: Account Services, P.O. Box 11547, Santa Ana, CA 92711-1547. The fund is being established for education and charitable purposes in Johnson’s honor.