Karl David Johnson

Karl David Johnson died June 10, 2024 at his memory care home in Castle Rock, CO. His memorial service will be held Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 10:00am at Joy Lutheran Church (7051 E Parker Hills Ct, Parker, CO).

Karl was born on May 23, 1961 to F. Elaine and C. Bernel Johnson in Denver, CO as the youngest of four siblings. In 1964 (age 3), the Johnsons moved to Sterling, CO, where Karl lived for six years. In 1970 (age 9), the family returned to the Denver area. Karl graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 1979, where he played lacrosse and sang in Meistersingers. He then attended the University of Colorado, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1983. While at CU, he sang with the CU Buffoons.

After graduating, Karl worked for PCL Construction as a field engineer while living in Nevada. He returned to the Denver area in 1988, working as an estimator/field engineer at two contractor firms before joining Kalman Floor Company in 1996, where he worked as a sales engineer and estimator for 21 years.

In 2017, Karl was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). This diagnosis worsened to early- onset dementia and was later specified as frontotemporal dementia. He lived at his home in Highlands Ranch, CO with his wife Deanna, daughter Kathryn, and dogs Val and Yogi until December 2023, when he moved to a memory care house in Castle Rock, CO.

Music and the outdoors were huge parts of Karl’s life. He sang in many choirs and vocal groups, including Cherry Creek Meistersingers, CU Buffoons, Cherry Creek Chorale, church choirs, and Kantorei. He was one of the 12 members of Kantorei in its first season (1997-1998) and sang with Kantorei until 2020. Karl also loved hiking, camping, backpacking, skiing, and looking at the stars, and spending time with his family.

Karl was preceded in death by his parents.

Karl is survived by his wife, Deanna, and their two children Olivia, Kathryn and his adopted daughter Brooke (Mat) Royden of Ramona, CA. He is also survived by his siblings, Teri, Eric, and Mark, and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations can be made to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) or Kantorei in Denver.