Robert Bruce Johnson, 85, a retired public relations and advertising executive, died Jan. 17 of heart failure in St. Joseph Health Centers & Hospital. A native of Minneapolis, Mr. Johnson moved to the Chicago area in the late 1930s. He served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he returned to Chicago and worked as director of public relations for Marshall Field & Co. and later as sales promotion manager for the Merchandise Mart. In 1964, he formed his own public relations firm, Robert Bruce Johnson and Associates. He was a lifelong member of the Art Institute of Chicago. He served as president of the Institute’s Society for Contemporary American Art and on the board of directors for the Museum of Contemporary Art. Survivors include a daughter, Randi Johnson, and a grandson. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Christ Church in Winnetka, 784 Sheridan Rd.
