Funeral service for John W. “Buck” Johnson, 89, of Somerville will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Ridout’s Brown-Service Funeral Home officiated by the Rev. JD Thorne with burial in Roselawn Cemetery. Visitation will be tonight from 6 to 8 at the funeral home.
Buck was born October 09, 1924, in Limestone County to Evie and Leland Johnson. In 1944, he joined the United States Navy and served two years where he was awarded the World War II Victory Medal, Europen African Middle Eastern Medal (2 Stars), Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal (3 Stars), and the American Theater Medal. Once he returned home, he married the love of his life, Faye Johnson, where their union lasted for a wonderful 67 years. During those years, they had four daughters, Glenda Vaughn, Carolyn Forsythe (Donnie), Nancey Elkins, and Lynn Kalinowski (Joe). While he raised his four daughters, he had three grandchildren, Tina Walter (Eric), Kenny Hogan (Suzanna) and Chris Tolbert (Veronica), who considered him as a father figure as well. Buck was also a foster parent to many children throughout the Morgan County area and was a Little League baseball coach for his grandsons.
His career path began at Chemstrand/Monsanto where he retired as a night shift supervisor after 30 years.
The family attended Austinville Baptist Church where he was ordained as a deacon on November 4, 1979. The family later found their permanent church home at Point Mallard Parkway Baptist Church where they attended faithfully for 24 years. Buck’s passions in life were God, family and golf.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, three sisters, one son-in-law, Robert Vaughn, and one granddaughter, Beth Tolbert.
He is survived by his wife, Faye Motes Johnson, four daughters, eight grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, one sister, Jean Johnson Walters, and two brothers, Jim Johnson and Don Johnson.
Pallbearers will be sons-in-law and grandsons.
Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society .
