Robert W. Johnson

Robert W. Johnson passed away on December 14, 2024, at Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice Campus in Venice, FL. Bob was born on January 9, 1957, in Clinton, KY, grew up in Frankfort Kentucky, and lived in Paducah, Owensboro, and Louisville, Kentucky before moving to Venice, FL.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe R. Johnson and Jane Nesbitt (Gibbs) Johnson.

Bob is survived by his husband of thirty-two years, Jeffrey W. Nally; their son, Adam Nally-Johnson; his brother, Joseph Russell Johnson (Cheryl Viel); his sister, Elizabeth Johnson Smither (Fantley Smither); his nephews Clay Smither (Katie Hagan) and Matthew Smither (Rebekah Woods); great-nieces and great-nephews, Fantley, Elaine, Leila, Eli, Sarah, Ethan, Hannah; brothers-in-law Eric Nally and Brian Walz; and mother-in-law, Linda Lou Nally.

Bob earned a master’s degree in Drama, Communications and Film from the University of New Orleans. He earned a bachelor’s degree as well as a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Louisville.

Bob was a pioneer and thought leader in distance education and online learning in higher education from 1994 to 2024. His passion was to help students, staff, and faculty bring e-learning strategies and tools to improve learning outcomes.

He was the Director of the Kentucky TeleLinking Network and Chief Administrator & Founder of the National Distance Learning Center at Owensboro Community & Technical College. Bob went on to become the Director of Distance Learning at the Kentucky Community & Technical College System and the Associate Dean of eLearning Initiatives at Jefferson Community & Technical College. He was the Executive Director at LCTCS Online, the e-learning executive for the Louisiana Community & Technical College System. Bob was the Learning Strategist and an Adjunct Graduate Instructor at Spalding University.

He was the Chair of the Innovations Team at 55,000 Degrees in Louisville, KY, a Senior Policy Advisor to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, Executive Director at Education Matters Southern Indiana, and President of his own consulting firm, Adult Learning Strategies where he collaborated with Educational Directions, LLC and other firms to improve learning outcomes in K-12 and higher education institutions.

Bob was an active friend, volunteer, and neighbor in all the communities where he lived and worked. He treasured his husband and his son more than anything, along with tremendous love for the family dog, Erik, who passed away in February 2024. Bob will be remembered for his kind heart and generous spirit.

Visitation will be held on Monday, December 30, 2024, from 3:00 to 7:00 PM with a funeral service on Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Arch L. Heady & Son at Westport Village, 7410 Westport Road, Louisville, KY 40222 with burial to follow at Cave Hill Cemetery.

A celebration of Bob’s life will be held in Venice, FL later in 2025.

Memorial donations may be sent to Cambodia’s Roteang Orphanage & Children’s Center at The Sharing Foundation (https://sharingfoundation.org).