1955
Eric
2022
Eric Cressy Johnson
August 1, 1955 — April 9, 2022
Eric Cressy Johnson, 66, died on April 9, 2022 at home in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He was born on August 1, 1955, to William R. and Judith Cressy Johnson in Long Island, NY. He is survived by his two brothers, Oliver F. Johnson and Robert D. Johnson; two sisters, Hope Johnson and Barbara J. Naple; nieces and grandnieces.
Eric was a precocious learner who, at an early age, excelled in academics especially math and science. His creativity and imagination extended to art projects that included dinosaur dioramas, cartoons and paintings. He was fascinated by the natural world and collected bird’s and hornet’s nests, and had a pet iguana. Inspired by blues artists like Eric Clapton, in his teens he taught himself to play guitar and soldered components together to build his own stereo equipment. He enrolled at Essex County College in Newark, NJ and as part of a history assignment, he researched the family genealogy at the New York Public Library back to the mid-1600’s when the Cressy and Pond families arrived in Massachusetts from England.
He worked as a day laborer in Louisiana and eventually landed in Salt Lake City. Always an avid reader, the public library was his second home. After surviving a major illness, he completed an Associate of Applied Science Degree in the Land Technology Program at Salt Lake Community College in 2010. When a surveying teacher at SLCC challenged the class to find a property transfer document older than an example of George Washington’s, Eric found a deed recorded on a clay tablet, in cuneiform, dated to the 16th year of Samsu Illuna (Sumer) making it older than 2900 years. Eric noted that it represented one of the earliest forms of file duplication and data compression known and expressed his self-satisfaction at his discovery saying, “Sometimes I’m so cool the ice cubes get jealous”. He especially enjoyed the computer aided design programs that were part of his studies for his surveyor’s certificate.
Eric lived, sometimes off the grid, on his own terms but he managed to adapt to a challenging lifestyle and endure his struggles with his own fortitude and the help of those nearest to him.
A private family service was held on May 2, 2022 at Fogland Point, Tiverton, Rhode Island.
The Man in the Moon
Together or apart,
We always shared
the same Sun.
He was born on August 1, 1955, to William R. and Judith Cressy Johnson in Long Island, NY. He is survived by his two brothers, Oliver F. Johnson and Robert D. Johnson; two sisters, Hope Johnson and Barbara J. Naple; nieces and grandnieces.
Eric was a precocious learner who, at an early age, excelled in academics especially math and science. His creativity and imagination extended to art projects that included dinosaur dioramas, cartoons and paintings. He was fascinated by the natural world and collected bird’s and hornet’s nests, and had a pet iguana. Inspired by blues artists like Eric Clapton, in his teens he taught himself to play guitar and soldered components together to build his own stereo equipment. He enrolled at Essex County College in Newark, NJ and as part of a history assignment, he researched the family genealogy at the New York Public Library back to the mid-1600’s when the Cressy and Pond families arrived in Massachusetts from England.
He worked as a day laborer in Louisiana and eventually landed in Salt Lake City. Always an avid reader, the public library was his second home. After surviving a major illness, he completed an Associate of Applied Science Degree in the Land Technology Program at Salt Lake Community College in 2010. When a surveying teacher at SLCC challenged the class to find a property transfer document older than an example of George Washington’s, Eric found a deed recorded on a clay tablet, in cuneiform, dated to the 16th year of Samsu Illuna (Sumer) making it older than 2900 years. Eric noted that it represented one of the earliest forms of file duplication and data compression known and expressed his self-satisfaction at his discovery saying, “Sometimes I’m so cool the ice cubes get jealous”. He especially enjoyed the computer aided design programs that were part of his studies for his surveyor’s certificate.
Eric lived, sometimes off the grid, on his own terms but he managed to adapt to a challenging lifestyle and endure his struggles with his own fortitude and the help of those nearest to him.
A private family service was held on May 2, 2022 at Fogland Point, Tiverton, Rhode Island.
The Man in the Moon
Together or apart,
We always shared
the same Sun.
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