Beloved Hope College Prof. Fred Johnson remembered for passion for history, education, faith
The Hope College community is mourning the passing of beloved history Professor Fred Johnson III, who died Feb. 27 after suffering a cardiac arrest earlier in the week.
HOLLAND — The Hope College community is mourning the passing of beloved history Professor Fred Johnson III, who died Feb. 27 after suffering a cardiac arrest earlier in the week.
“Dr. Johnson was a giant of a man whose life shaped countless individuals. His absence will be felt in ways that are hard to put into words. He taught us history and in doing so became an enduring part of ours,” said Hope College President Matt Scogin.
“He loved being in a classroom and his impact on generations of Hope students runs deep. Above all, his life was defined by an unwavering commitment to follow Jesus Christ and reflect God’s love for others,” Scogin said.
Johnson was the Guy Vander Jagt ’53 Professor of History at Hope College, a position he held since 2000. The position is named for the late U.S. Congressman Guy Vander Jagt, who graduated from Hope College in 1953.
In addition to his long teaching career, Johnson was well-renowned as a scholar, writer and award-winning public speaker.
His primary field of study was 19th-century U.S. history, specifically the Civil War. Other areas of his expertise were 20th-century U.S. history, U.S. military history and African history.
He was also a published author and a gifted orator, having been a semifinalist twice in the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking.
"It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of Dr. Fred Johnson III, a highly respected historian, faculty member at Hope College, and Historical Society of Michigan (HSM) Trustee," the Historical Society of Michigan posted on its Facebook on March 2.
"Dr. Johnson presented at our conferences as a keynote speaker in the past, was a member of the America250MI Committee, and served on the Clarke Historical Library Board of Governors. He was a beloved professor of history at Hope College, an award-winning public speaker, and served in the United States Marine Corps and the Marine Reserves prior to his career in higher education," the organization said.
Scogin posted on his Instagram with a heartfelt personal tribute to Johnson, describing the historian as a mentor and friend.
"I was blessed to call him a mentor and friend. His absence will be felt in ways that are hard to put into words," Scogin said. "Last night, he heard the best words any of us will ever hear: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'"
Prior to his career in higher education, Johnson served 12 years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Communications-Electronics Officer and as an Infantry Officer in the Marine Reserves.
"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Fred Johnson. Fred served his country with distinction in the U.S. Marines and his community as a professor at Hope College," U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga also expressed condolences on his social media on March 3.
Johnson ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat against Huizenga in 2010, after previously running in 2008 against former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra.
"While we did not agree on every policy, we always had passionate yet civil discussions. My prayers go out to Fred’s family, his students, and the entire Hope College Community during this time of loss," Huizenga said.
Johnson was a graduate of Bowie State College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and teacher education. He received his master’s and doctorate degrees at Kent State University. He also completed his Master’s of Divinity at Western Theological Seminary in 2015.
He subsequently worked as a production scheduler for Packard — Electric Division of General Motors, an operations specialist for Con-Tel Page Telecommunications, and as a corporate trainer for Aircraft Braking Systems (formerly Goodyear Aerospace) in Akron, Ohio.
Over his 20 years teaching at Hope — in classrooms and abroad, traveling with students to learn about other cultures — he was also an active faculty member for the Hope-Western Prison Education Program.
"Above all, his life reflected God’s heart. He strove to follow Jesus Christ in every aspect of his life, he advocated for those often overlooked, and he especially cherished his time teaching in the Muskegon Correctional Facility," Scogin said.
Johnson shared an oral history of his life with the City of Holland in February 2025 and said his work at the correctional facility was deeply rewarding.
“These men come to class ready to work, their minds are open and they want to pull anything from you that they can. As a professor and teacher, that’s called ‘having a really good day,’” Johnson said in the video.
In the video, Johnson reflected on his work, saying acknowledging, understanding and accepting history is crucial to foster understanding.
"It seemed to me to understand America in the 20th and 21st century, you must understand the Civil War, but more specifically, the Reconstruction," he said.
Most important of all, however, was his faith.
“Honoring God in your work means that you bring an attitude and intent for excellence in everything you do,” Johnson shared during a 2023 presentation with Hope’s Boerigter Center for Calling and Career. “I enjoy teaching students and for the college, but ultimately everything I do is in service of my master.”
In 2019, Johnson was awarded the Medal of Honor from the Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton Chapter (in Holland) by the National Society Daughters of American Revolution (DAR). It is among the highest honors awarded by the DAR, and was presented to Johnson in recognition of his dedication to “making positive change in our country.”
“Today is indeed a very sad day. He lived and breathed history, and taught our students in Holland and in Muskegon to reckon honestly with history, especially the long shadow of slavery, and to strive to preserve our republic,” said Stephen Maiullo, dean of arts and humanities at Hope.
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Johnson pursued the Christian liberal arts “with every fiber of his being and enriched the intellectual life of our college, especially the arts and humanities," Maiullo said. "We deeply grieve his loss, but will honor his legacy.”
The Hope campus community will host a memorial service to honor Johnson at 2 p.m. Friday, March 13, in Dimnent Memorial Chapel. The campus and community are invited to attend. The service will also be available live on the Hope College YouTube Channel.
To read more about Johnson’s career, the various honors and awards he accumulated, and his extensive published works, go to hope.edu/directory/people/johnson-fred/index.html.
— Sarah Leach is the executive editor of the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at sleach@ottawanewsnetwork.org. Follow her on Twitter @ONNLeach.
