Darryl N. Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Darryl N. Johnson
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Darryl N. Johnson in 2004
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| United States Ambassador to Thailand | |
| In office November 26, 2001 – December 28, 2004 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Richard E. Hecklinger |
| Succeeded by | Ralph Leo Boyce |
| Director of American Institute in Taiwan | |
| In office 1996–1999 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | B. Lynn Pascoe |
| Succeeded by | Raymond Burghardt |
| United States Ambassador to Lithuania | |
| In office March 23, 1992 – May 23, 1994 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Owen J.C. Norem |
| Succeeded by | James W. Swihart |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1938 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | June 24, 2018 (aged 79–80) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Washington (B.A.) University of Minnesota Princeton University |
| Occupation | Diplomat, Statesman |
Darryl Norman Johnson (1938 – June 24, 2018) was an American diplomat. He worked for the U.S. government in many countries around the world. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations.
His most important role was serving as the United States Ambassador to Thailand from 2001 to 2004. He also worked as the acting U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines for several months in 2005. After retiring, he taught at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he had studied.
Early Life and Education
Darryl Johnson was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1938. He grew up near Seattle, Washington, and finished high school there in 1956. He first attended the University of Puget Sound. Later, he transferred to the University of Washington.
In 1960, he earned his bachelor's degree in English Literature from the University of Washington. He graduated with honors. He was also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, which is a well-known academic honor society. After that, he studied at the University of Minnesota and Princeton University.
Before joining the Foreign Service, Johnson was a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1962 to 1965. The Peace Corps is a program where Americans volunteer to help people in other countries.
A Career in Diplomacy
Darryl Johnson had a long and important career working for the U.S. government in other countries. He had a lot of experience with countries in Eastern Europe and Asia.
He was the first American Ambassador to Lithuania. He arrived in Vilnius in September 1991 to open the first U.S. Embassy there since World War II.
Johnson also served in many other places:
- He was the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland (1988–1991).
- He worked in Beijing, China (1984–1987).
- He worked in Moscow, Russia (1974–1977).
- He also had assignments in Hong Kong (1969–1973) and Bombay, India (1966–1967).
In Washington, D.C., he held several important roles at the Department of State. He helped manage relations with countries like Yugoslavia and China. He also advised important leaders, including Madeleine Albright, who was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Teaching and Public Speaking
After his retirement, Ambassador Johnson became a lecturer at the University of Washington. He taught a class called "Practicing American Foreign Policy." He also helped students with their research papers.
He often gave talks in the Seattle area. Many of his speeches were about the Peace Corps and the U.S. Foreign Service. He also wrote articles for major newspapers, like the Los Angeles Times and the Seattle Times, about politics in Thailand.
Personal Life
Darryl Johnson was married to Kathleen Desa Forance. They had one daughter and two sons. Besides English, he could speak several other languages, including Chinese (Mandarin), Polish, Russian, Thai, and Lithuanian.
Darryl Johnson passed away in Seattle on June 24, 2018, at the age of 80.
