Cambridge, Mass. (February 16) – Our hearts are heavy as we share that Ken Johnson, Jr., Director of DAPER Communications, Promotions and Marketing at MIT, passed away on February 12 with family at his side at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Cambridge from complications following a stroke.
 
"Ken cultivated many positive relationships with student-athletes, coaches, and staff throughout the department, as well as colleagues within our athletic conference and across the country," said Dr. G. Anthony Grant, MIT Director of Athletics/DAPER Department Head. "He displayed a genuine passion and commitment to promoting the tremendous accomplishments of our student-athletes and coaches. We are saddened by the news of Ken's passing and his presence here at MIT will be greatly missed."
 
Well-known and respected in the Sports Information/Athletics Communications field, Johnson was in his 26^th year in the profession and his eighth season at MIT. In 2019, he was the recipient of the 2019 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Excellence in Communications Award for NCAA Division III Track and Field. In addition, Johnson was elected to the D3SIDA Board of Directors in the summer of 2019 and served as the Region 1 representative from 2019-2021. In that role, he was also a member of the D3SIDA Divisional Cabinet within the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) governance. Johnson served as the First Vice-President of the Eastern Athletic Communications Association (East-Comm) and was in his second year of a four-year term on the East-Comm Executive Board. Last June, he received a College Sports Communicators award for 25 years of service in the athletic communications field.
 
Prior to his arrival at MIT, Johnson served as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications at Assumption University for five years. He was previously the Sports Information Director at Manhattanville College, the University of Bridgeport, and Saint Anselm College and began his career as an intern at Brown University.
 
Johnson enjoyed traveling, was an avid golfer and finished three marathons including New York City. He is survived by his parents, Kenneth and Katherine (Kate) Johnson, his sister Megan Warfield, her husband, Bill and his beloved nephew Cameron.
 
A remembrance will be held on Thursday, February 22 from 4-8 p.m. at the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street, Natick, MA. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend.
 
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to MIT in memory of Kenneth R. Johnson, Jr. for the Friends of DAPER Fund #4038000. Click here for a link to donate online. Checks should be made payable to MIT and mailed to:
 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
P. O. Box 412926
Boston, MA 02241-2926