Jay Johnson, R.I.P

The biggest surprise to me is how young Johnson was.

Former Green Bay television anchor and one-term U.S. Rep. Jay Johnson has died from an apparent heart attack.

Family spokeswoman Danielle Bina says Johnson died Saturday at his home in suburban Washington. He was 66 years old.

Johnson, a Democrat, was elected to Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District in 1996 and he served one term. He was director of the U.S. Mint from 2000 to 2001, and recently worked at Jay Johnson Coins and Consulting.

Before entering politics, Johnson spent 32 years as a journalist. He worked as an anchor and reporter at WLUK-TV and WFRV-TV, both in Green Bay.

He is survived by his wife and two stepchildren.

Johnson was an avid coin collector, it's why after he was the lone Democratic incumbent to lose his seat in 1998 to Mark Green, President Clinton appointed him Director of the U.S. Mint as a form of a consolation prize.

His most recent appearances on TV were a series of commercials and webvideos for "Goldline," a company which advocated buying gold.