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What’s the Cause of Rafer Johnson Death? What’s His Net Worth?

What’s the Cause of Rafer Johnson Death? What’s His Net Worth?

Facts of Rafer Johnson

Full Name:Rafer Johnson
Birth Date:August 18, 1934
Age:89 years
Death Date:December 2, 2020
Gender:Male
Profession:Actor, Decathlete
Country:United States
Horoscope:Leo
Height: 6 feet 3 inches (1.91m)
WifeElizabeth Thorsen
Net Worth$2 million
Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorBlack
Birth PlaceHillsboro, Texas the United States
StatusMarried
NationalityAmerician
EthnicityBlack
EducationKingsburg High School
FatherLewis Johnson
MotherAlma Gibson Johnson
SiblingsJimmi Johnson
KidsJennifer Johnson Jordan, Joshua Johnson
View more / View less Facts of Rafer Johnson

American decathlete Rafer Johnson first rose to popularity after winning a gold medal in Olympics in 1960, and a silver medal in 1956. Later, he became an actor as well.

Life Before Fame

Rafer Johnson was born as Rafer Lewis Johnson on 18th August 1934 in Hillsboro, Texas, the United States. He has a brother named Jimmy Johnson, who is a football player in the “Pro Football Hall of Fame”. Rafter’s parents’ names are Lewis Johnson (Father) and Alma Gibson Johnson (Mother). Later, Johnson and his family went to Kingsburg, California, when he was 9 years old.

Rafer studies at Kingsburg High School and was a part of the school’s football, basketball, and baseball team. At the age of 16, his coach Murl Dodson took him to watch Bob Mathias in the U.S. Olympic decathlon trials in the year 1952. Moreover, Johnson looking at his coach said,

“I could have beaten most of those guys.”

Months later, he and his coach went so that they could watch Mathias’s victory parade. After some weeks, Rafer won the high school invitational decathlon. Also, he won California state high school decathlon meets in the years 1953 and 1954.

Who is Rafer Johnson’s Wife?

Johnson was quite secretive about his affairs. He has never let his dating life come in front of the media. In 1971, Rafer married Elizabeth Thorsen, who is known as Besty as well. The duo shared two children and four grandchildren.

Rafer with his wife Elizabeth Thorsen
Caption: Rafer with his wife Elizabeth Thorsen (Photo: Wikitrusted)

His daughter’s name is Jennifer Johnson Jordan and his son’s name is Joshua Johnson. Jennifer took part in beach volleyball at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Joshua followed in his father’s footsteps and took part in the Art of the Olympians program. Rafer’s blissful married life with his wife ended in the year 2020 because of his death.

What is the Net Worth of Rafer Johnson?

Johnson must have earned a lot of wealth at the time of his career. At the time of his death, he had an estimated net worth of $2 million as of 2022. So we can say, Rafer must have lived a lavish and luxurious life.

Rafer Johnson in Olympics
Caption: Rafer Johnson in Olympics (Photo: NewsBrig)

He earned wealth by featuring in different movies and taking part in different sports even. Moreover, Johnson’s movie “Licence to Kill” collected $156.1 million at the box office.

Cause of Rafer Johnson’s Death

At the age of 86, he passed away in Sherman Oaks, California. Rafer Johnson’s cause of death is a stroke. On December 2, 2020, he took his last breath.

Height of Rafer Johnson

Late Rafer was blessed with a towering height of 6 feet 3 inches (1.90 meters). Also, he had a body weight of 91 kg (201 lbs). Moreover, he had black hair color and a pair of black eyes.

Rafer Johnson’s Career

  • Rafer started his career as a sportsperson. He was a UCLA basketball player but later he became Pan American decathlon champion in the year 1995.
  • Rafer won a silver medal two times and a gold medal at the Olympics.
  • He co-founded and was one of the Board of Directors of the “Special Olympics International”, in the year 1968.
  • Moreover, from 1983 to 1992, Johnson co-founded “California Special Olympics”.
  • Besides, he was also a part of the “Peace Corps” at the time of John F. Kennedy.
  • In the year 1984, Rafter became the torchbearer at the Los Angeles Olympics.
  • He even became a volunteer at the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame in 1994 and California’s Hall of Fame in 2009.
Johnson in Olympics
Caption: Johnson in Olympics (Photo: MiamiTimes)
  • Moreover, in the year 2016, Rafer received the UCLA Medal. Besides, he chooses to become an actor as well. Johnson made a debut from the movie “The Sins of Rachel Cade” in 1960, he played the role of Kosongo.
  • In 1961, he played the role of Davis in the movie “Wild In The Country”. In the same year, Rafer starred as John Gammel in the movie “Pirates of Tortuga”. Later, he played in many movies such as “License to Kill”, “None But the Brave”, “Think Big”, “The Braves”, “Tarzan and the Jungle Boy”, “Soul Solider”, “The Last Grenade”, “The Fiercest Heart”, “A Global Affair”, “The Loneliest Runner”, “The Grand Olympics”, “Spartacus”, and many more.

FAQs of Rafer Johnson

Who is Rafer Johnson?

He is an American decathlete. Johnson first rose to popularity after winning a gold medal in Olympics in 1960, and a silver medal in 1956. Later, he became an actor as well.

When was Rafer Johnson born?

Rafer Johnson was born as Rafer Lewis Johnson on 18th August 1934 in Hillsboro, Texas, the United States.

What is the weight of Rafer Johnson?

Late Rafer was blessed with a towering height of 6 feet 3 inches (1.90 meters). Also, he had a body weight of 91 kg