STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton State Athletics Hall of Famer Dr. Lamar Johanson has passed away. Johanson was a beloved member of Texan Nation for over 60 years, spanning from his start on faculty at Tarleton State in 1961, to serving as chair of the Tarleton State Athletics Hall of Fame nominating committee through this past year.
“The legacy of Dr. Lamar Johanson is unparalleled at Tarleton State,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Steve Uryasz said. “Dr. Jo has truly elevated this institution in countless ways, through his wisdom, voice, various working roles, financial contributions, academic investment, student-athlete support – the list goes on. All of us at Tarleton State will greatly miss the best representation we have of this university, and we send his family our love and prayers. Rest in peace, Dr. Jo.”
Johanson joined the Tarleton State faculty in 1961 and retired in 2001 after serving in several academic and administrative positions. He held roles ranging from professor of biological sciences to dean to executive director at the satellite campus in Killeen. He also served as Faculty Athletics Representative from 1980-2000. Johanson was very involved in Tarleton State’s move from the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association to the Lone Star Conference in 1993. He served as President of the Lone Star Conference from 1997-99 and as a member of the Texan Club’s Board of Directors since its inception in 1994.
Johanson was one of the first recipients of Tarleton State’s All-Purple Award, which recognizes those who vigorously support Tarleton State Athletics. He was inducted into the Tarleton State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
“We were saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Lamar Johanson, who poured his heart and soul into Tarleton State for more than six decades,” said Tarleton State President Dr. James Hurley. “As a lifelong educator, Dr. Johanson left a lasting impact on countless Texans through his generosity. The degree programs he helped establish in nursing and medical laboratory science, along with the Lamar Johanson Science Building on our campus, will ensure that his legacy lives on for years to come. He was a passionate advocate for our university and will be missed tremendously.”
The Lamar and Marilynn T. Johanson Endowed Scholarship was established in 2012 through their life estate gift. The scholarship is given as part of their gift of nearly 1,700 acres of farm and ranch land, with mineral rights, with the land used as an academic laboratory to support Tarleton State research, academic programs, and other university functions. In 2021, the Johansons decided to execute their life estate gift early and allow the university to sell the San Sabra property, as originally planned, to expedite endowed scholarships for Tarleton students. The roughly 800 acres along the Colorado River in Mills County remains home to Tarleton State’s Timberlake Biological Field Station, established in 2015, to advance environmental research, engage students in scientific discovery and promote stewardship of the natural world.
The Lamar and Marilynn T. Johanson Biological Sciences Endowed Scholarship was also established by the Johansons. This scholarship is awarded to a full-time undergraduate or graduate student who is in good standing with the University and is majoring in any degree offered by the Department of Biological Sciences.
Lamar Johanson and Marilynn Johanson each received an honorary doctorate of humane letters during Tarleton State University’s fall 2021 commencement ceremonies. The couple received Tarleton State’s 2020 Legacy Award for Leadership.
Service information for Dr. Lamar Johanson will be made available in the coming days.
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