Karl Johnson went to be with his Lord on January 14 with his family filling the room. Together, they spent his final days surrounding him with love, singing his favorite songs and hymns, and reading poetry and scripture to him.
Karl is survived by his wife, Martha Russell Johnson, to whom he was married for 64 years; four children, Timothy Karl Johnson (Trishel), Linda Johnson Smith (Deke), Alice Johnson Searcy (Don), and Steven Russell Johnson (Lynn Tetenbaum). Karl was “Fafa” to 14 grandchildren: Nancy Kristina Lambert, Rebecca Johnson Keen (Andrew), Steven Searcy (Kaitlin), Lillian Juttakonda (Meher), Laura Patterson (Michael), Karl Smith (Zhenzhen Shi), Susanna Johnson-Chelaru (Florin), Karl Isaac Johnson (Christen), Philip Searcy (Maddie), Kate Smith, Mary Grace Johnson (Keeheon Nam), Clara Cowan (Blayne), Bonnie Johnson, Benjamin Johnson; and 17 great-grandchildren: Abigail, Elijah and Lilly Lambert, William, Isaac, and Noah Patterson, Edmund, Peter, Arthur, and Judah Searcy, Linus, Cecilia and Felicity Johnson, Ludmila Cowan, Annie Searcy, Theofil Johnson-Chelaru, and Thomas Juttakonda.
Karl was born in Atlanta, GA and was a graduate of Druid Hills High School in Atlanta. He received a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech. After college, he began his service in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he reached the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. During his time at Georgia Tech, he began working as an Outside Plant Co-op Engineer at Southern Bell. It was there that he met another employee, Martha Russell, and after only three months they were married. When South Central Bell was created, he accepted a promotion to move to Birmingham where he and Martha spent the next 51 years. He retired in 1991 after 37 years of service. For most of his later years he performed cost analysis and prepared rate cases – work that he quite enjoyed – but the emphasis in his life was his family.
Karl had a servant heart and served quietly in many ways, as a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, as well as part of his church family and in the community. He served as elder and deacon at Oakmont Presbyterian Church, where he was a member for 51 years. He and Martha served for many years at a Hoover polling location where he was chief inspector.
Karl was a lover of books and enjoyed learning about just about any topic. Even in the weeks before his death, books about relativity, writing, and Christian doctrine could be found within reach.
Karl will be celebrated with a memorial service on Saturday, January 20, at Covenant Presbyterian Church on Drake Avenue. Visitation will begin at 11, followed by a service at noon. Karl will be interred at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville Alabama at a private ceremony.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: Manna House (mymannahouse.com), Huntsville Assistance Program (huntsvilleap.org) or Downtown Rescue Mission (downtownrescuemission.org).
