You Don’t Retire, You Refire: The Legacy of Bob and Peg Johnson

Bob and Peg Johnson, longtime champions of Maranatha Christian Academy, have left a lasting impact on Maranatha that’s still felt to this day. From their hand-making the original basketball uniforms in the ‘90s to launching the school’s first parent partnership committee, Bob and Peg helped lay the foundation that Maranatha’s still building off of today. 

“We’re from the beginning,” Peg began when we had the chance to sit down and catch up with the Johnsons this summer. “When MCA came into existence [...] we were there.”

Bob and Peg were pivotal in setting up MCA, not just in terms of getting certain committees up and running, but also in helping make the school feel warm and inviting.

“I did the stage curtains,” Peg smiled, “I did the banners in all the hallways, I did the homecoming robes (which are still used today!), I did all of the table coverings.” Back then, if no one stepped up to volunteer, those extra touches simply didn’t happen. “It was a lot of parent hands-on,” they both laughed. 

One thing that pushed Bob and Peg into being so all-in at Maranatha was when they brought up the need for more parent involvement. “Well,” they were told, “if you suggest it, you have to do it. If you’re gonna talk about a problem, then you have to be a part of the solution.” That mindset energized the Johnsons and paved the way for other school groups to emerge.

In life, we often have to make big decisions around things like what career path to take, where to live, and more, that then ends up impacting the thing after that—and the decision of choosing where to send our cherished kids to school is perhaps the biggest decision of all!

The truth is that much of a child’s thought process, intellect, and social skills are formed during their school years. Bob and Peg recognized this and chose to put their kids through MCA, where they’d be daily surrounded by what was dearest to their hearts: Jesus.

“We wanted our kids,” Peg paused, “because we were first-generation believers—wanted our kids to have a base foundation of the Word of God.” Even though this meant long commutes to and from Maranatha, the Johnsons wouldn’t have had it any other way. 

Since beginning their MCA involvement many years ago, two more generations of Johnsons have walked these halls. Bob and Peg’s eldest son, Robbie, graduated in 1998, and their second son, Jamie, graduated in 2002. Robbie’s daughter, Tori, then graduated in 2017, and his son, Logan, in 2021. Although not at MCA, Jamie’s two daughters currently attend a private school in Florida, where he wants them to receive the same values he did from growing up at MCA.

Reflecting on all that MCA has meant to their family throughout the years, Bob and Peg are so grateful for the support system that MCA was in lifting them up and being there for them through some tough times. “Maranatha was truly a godsend for us.”

To the Johnsons, MCA was a place of genuine connection, purpose, and sanctuary. 

Today, Bob and Peg live in sunny Florida,  where they continue to advocate for Christian education and educational reform. Although Bob and Peg may have “retired,” they haven’t stopped investing in the next generation—in fact, they’re just getting started! As Peg says, “You don’t retire, you refire!”