Walter Walford Johnson
Walter Walford Johnson (April 16, 1904 – March 23, 1987) was an American businessman and Democratic politician who served as the 32nd governor of Colorado from 1950 to 1951. He was born in Pueblo, Colorado, and built real estate and insurance businesses there. He married Neva Morrow in 1922, and they had two children, Winnifred and Walfred.
Johnson entered politics and was elected to the Colorado State Senate in 1940. He then served as the 31st lieutenant governor of Colorado from January 11, 1949 to April 15, 1950, under Governor William L. Knous.
When Knous resigned in April 1950 to become a federal district judge in Denver, Johnson became governor and finished the remaining nine months of Knous’s term. He ran for a full term in 1950 but was defeated by Republican Dan Thornton.
Johnson retired to Tempe, Arizona, in 1970. He died there on March 23, 1987, at age 82 after a brief illness. He is buried in Pueblo, Colorado.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 01:01 (CET).