Whether reading the wind on the water, carving through any kind of snow, or seeing the world with a designer’s eye, David I. Johnson saw life not as something to watch, but as an adventure to embrace and learn from. It is with deep sorrow that his family announces his passing at the age of 97, on September 10, 2026, in Orchard Park, New York.

Born on July 30, 1929, in Stamford, Connecticut, he was the son of Roy Everard Johnson and Catherine Koenig. Coming of age during the Second World War, he formed a quiet resilience and an enduring work ethic as an Eagle Scout, attending Boys State and serving proudly in the US Navy Reserves.

Dave received his early education at School No. 54 in Buffalo and graduated from George Washington High School, Alexandria VA in 1947. Driven by a passion for the visual arts, he went on to attend Pratt Institute, where he studied design. Shortly after graduation, he married Ann Elliott in 1951 and began a partnership that spanned decades and anchored a growing family. A lifelong learner, Dave continued his studies at George Washington University.

Dave began his professional career with Design & Production (D&P) in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1955, his career took him and Ann to Switzerland to set up an exhibit he designed for the Brussel’s World’s Fair. This experience sparked an enduring affection for the Swiss landscape and culture that he carried with him for the rest of his life.

In 1960, Ann and Dave moved their family from Springfield, Virginia, to Buffalo, New York, to assume leadership of Hadley Displays. Dave later partnered with Clifford Hehr and then Frank Nehin, to establish the design firm Johnson, Hehr and Nehin, which he blended seamlessly with Hadley Exhibits. Under his leadership, Hadley evolved into a prominent international enterprise, shifting its focus toward large-scale permanent museum installations, corporate environments, and dynamic trade show properties.

Dave possessed a rare dedication to design, taking immense pride in the meticulous quality and artistry of everything he created. Dave worked on two Worlds’ Fairs, but his favorite jobs among his many projects were the Bicentennial Barge that travelled the Erie Canal and the Carborundum Ceramics Museum in Niagara Falls. Although both were decades in the past, he has maintained close friendships from these teams to the present day. Dave considered a design challenge a problem that needed a creative solution. He enjoyed finding that right idea. He handed the business down to his son, Ted, and the company continues to prosper.

Dave’s passion for design extended beyond the business. He had always dreamed of designing a house himself, and unfortunately, he got that chance in 1996 when a fire burned down the Johnson family residence in Orchard Park. This was a lesson in resilience and showed the Johnson Family how to get going when the going gets tough. Dad designed a gorgeous post and beam structure, a beautiful home that is a gathering place for family and friends to this day.

Parallel to his professional achievements was Dave’s lifelong love for the open water and the ski slopes. These were the only places he felt he could escape the problems of work. His passion for sailing began in his earliest years on the Potomac River, navigating the waters using a sail canvas his father had sewn for him. This deep affinity for the water translated to summers defined by sailing, both locally in Lake Erie and along the coast of Maine. Dave was a long-serving and committed member of the Buffalo Yacht Club, and he enjoyed many years of racing and lazy afternoon sails. He was deeply fulfilled by his time spent on the water.

When winter arrived, Dave traded the sails for skis, hitting the slopes every day that conditions allowed. A dedicated member of the Sitzmarker Ski Club (today Buffalo Ski Center), he raised his children on the slopes, attending pot-luck suppers and spring festivals and loved planning trips out west or to Europe. He skied till he was 87.

Dave was a true Renaissance man. He was a lifetime member of the AKG (Albright Knox). He also loved the Buffalo theaters, Niagara on the Lake, the opera, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Orchard Park Symphony, the Bills, the Sabres and Point Abino. Dave loved reading biographies, painting and playing bridge. He’s never met a cookie he didn’t like.

Above all, Dave’s greatest legacy remains the dynamic family he nurtured across his lifetime. Dave is survived by his spouse, Valerie Rynaski, and was predeceased by his first wife, Ann Elliott Johnson as well as his brother, Theodore R. Johnson. He leaves behind a deep legacy through his children: Sally Johnson (Bob), Theodore Koenig Johnson, Caroline Elliott Calhoun (Scott), and Catherine Hart Johnson; as well as his stepdaughter, Amy Wingett (Jeff).

He was the proud grandfather of 12 grandchildren: (Halle Hearn (RJ), Dave Theodore Johnson, Evan Schonour (Tiffany), Sara Schonour (Shantel), Sean Johnson, Mary Bridget Johnson, Ann Hess (Matt), Kelly Johnson, Patrick Calhoun, and John Calhoun (Emily), and step-grandchildren Nick and Chris Wingett; and 14 great-grandchildren: Daniel, Andrew, and Ella Hearn; Boston, Harrison and Catherine Hess; Madison, Cohen, and Darren Schonour; Finn, Declan, and Aiden Calhoun; and Linus Johnson and Sean McCarthy.)

Dave deeply valued his colleagues, friends, and clients, and fostered an environment of mutual respect, mentorship, humor and camaraderie with everyone who shared his creative and adventurous journey. He will be deeply missed.

• Memorial Arrangements

Family and friends are invited to gather for visiting on Friday, October 9, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at F.E. Brown Sons Funeral Home, 6575 E Quaker St, Orchard Park, NY.

A Memorial Service celebrating Dave's life and legacy will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, starting at 11:00 AM at the Buffalo Yacht Club, 1 Porter Ave, Buffalo, NY 14201, where a luncheon will immediately follow. All are welcome to attend and share in the celebration.