Dr. Norman Eric Johnson, longtime Big Bear Lake physician and hospital administrator, dies at 78

Dr. Norman Eric Johnson, longtime Big Bear Lake physician and hospital administrator, dies

Dr. Norman Eric Johnson, a physician and hospital administrator whose career helped shape healthcare across Big Bear Valley and the wider Inland Empire, passed away on June 2, 2026^[1]. Dr. Johnson was an early administrator of Bear Valley Community Hospital and spent decades serving mountain and desert communities throughout Southern California. A memorial service is planned for September 19 at Big Bear Community Church.

A career rooted in service

Before settling in Big Bear Lake, Dr. Johnson demonstrated a commitment to care that went well beyond clinic walls. He spent a summer on Chicago's South Side providing medical services to civil rights workers and impoverished residents through free clinics organized by the MCHR^[1]. That calling to serve underserved communities would define his professional life.

In 1977, after marrying Kathy O'Connor, Dr. Johnson returned to California and accepted a position as administrator of the newly constructed Bear Valley Community Hospital in Big Bear Lake^[1]. The role placed him at the center of building a healthcare institution that mountain residents would rely on for generations.

His career ultimately spanned a wide arc of the region's medical landscape, including Barstow Community Hospital, Mountains Intercommunity Hospital in Lake Arrowhead, Victor Valley Community Hospital, Desert Regional Hospital in Palm Springs, Hi-Desert Medical Center, Desert Valley Medical Center, and Big Bear Urgent Care^[1].

Survivors and services

Dr. Johnson is survived by his four children — Tawny Buettner, Eron de Lange, Evan Johnson, and Alec Johnson — his grandchildren Caiden Buettner, Cambria Buettner, and Rowan de Lange, his sister Sharon Johnson-Glenwinkel, and his sweetheart Gale Henderson^[1].

A memorial service will be held at Big Bear Community Church on September 19, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.^[1]. The community is encouraged to attend to celebrate a life of dedicated service to mountain healthcare.