{"id":13610,"date":"2022-07-19T17:51:09","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T21:51:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/earlham.edu\/?p=13610&preview=true&preview_id=13610"},"modified":"2022-07-20T08:36:35","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T12:36:35","slug":"the-earlham-community-mourns-the-death-of-melissa-johnson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/earlham.edu\/news-events\/the-earlham-community-mourns-the-death-of-melissa-johnson\/","title":{"rendered":"The Earlham community mourns the death of Melissa Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Editor’s note: The Johnson family has asked for privacy this week. Please withhold calls and visits at this time.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Earlham College community is mourning the death of 2003 graduate and former head women\u2019s basketball coach Melissa Johnson after a long illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Melissa Johnson<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMelissa has become an enduring symbol of strength and hope at Earlham. She was always cheerful and positive. She was amazing,\u201d said Earlham President Anne Houtman. \u201cWe are all better people for having worked alongside Melissa and witnessing her love for her family, her faith, and her dedication to our student-athletes and the sport of basketball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur hearts and minds are heavy this week as we confront this tremendous loss,\u201d she said. \u201cOur deepest sympathies are with Melissa\u2019s husband, Nick, and their two children, Jayden and Jacob.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to earning her bachelor\u2019s degree in biology from Earlham, Johnson graduated from the College\u2019s Master of Arts in Teaching program in 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson spent eight years as a member of the women\u2019s basketball program \u2013 four as an assistant coach and four as a student-athlete \u2014 before becoming head coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a player, Johnson was a two-time Earlham Defensive Player of the Year, a team captain for three seasons and a member of the best team in program history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A celebration of life will be held on campus at a later date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Media contact<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Brian Zimmerman<\/strong>
Assistant vice president of strategic communications
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Email: zimmebr@earlham.edu
Phone: 765.983.1256<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n