Clifford Johnson

Clifford Alex Johnson was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on February 24, 1942, to Charles Mack and Mary Jeannette Johnson. He peacefully went home to be with the Lord on July 25, 2026.

Clifford was the fourth of four children. He was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, Janet, Genevieve, and Charles Jr., as well as his niece Carla A. Liggins.

He was educated in the Cleveland Metropolitan School System. Following the heartbreaking loss of his mother on June 15, 1959, at just 17 years old, Clifford became an orphan and was forced to leave high school to help support himself and his siblings. Although life presented him with tremendous challenges at an early age, he met them with determination, resilience, and an unwavering work ethic.

In July 1959, through the encouragement of a neighbor who was both a student and employee at Western Reserve University, Clifford accepted a position as a Laboratory Assistant in the Department of Surgical Research Western Reserve University. His exceptional aptitude and dedication quickly became evident. By 1963, after mastering numerous surgical procedures involving research animals, the Chief Cardiac Surgeon recognized his remarkable talent and invited him to work alongside him—an opportunity that would launch a distinguished career in cardiovascular perfusion.

Clifford received extensive laboratory training operating the heart-lung machine on research animals. In 1964, after approximately two years of training, he joined University Hospitals Case Medical Center where he worked beside his mentor. Within two years, he was promoted to Senior Perfusionist. In 1975, he successfully completed both the written and oral examinations administered by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion in Atlanta, Georgia, earning his board certification as a CCP. Clifford obtained his Bachelors of Arts degree at Hiram College on June 8, 1985.

Throughout his career, Clifford trained seven perfusionists and played an instrumental role in educating future professionals in this specialized field in hospitals in the Akron area, for the Cleveland Veterans’ Administration Hospital, Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital and University Hospitals. He was a member of the American Association of Extra Corporeal Technology, which set up standards for the the new Cardiovascular Perfusion profession. When the Cleveland Clinic, in partnership with The Ohio State University, established its School of Perfusion, Clifford volunteered the University Hospitals operating room as one of the clinical training sites for students. During his tenure at University Hospitals, he also helped launch both the heart and liver transplant programs, contributing to groundbreaking advances in cardiac and transplant medicine.

After 38 years of dedicated service at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals, Clifford retired in August 1998. The following month, he joined a corporation providing perfusion services to Huron Road Hospital, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, St. Luke Medical Center, South Pointe Hospital, Lutheran Hospital, and the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center. In 2003, he became a full-time Perfusionist at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center, where he faithfully served until his retirement in July2009.