Funeral services for Jewel Burton Johnston are Friday, April 29, 2016, at 11 a.m. at Johnston Chapel United Methodist Church with burial in church cemetery. Pallbearers are Wes Berry, Dale Brown, Thomas Johnston, Tim McDaniel, Ken Boone and Chase Mosal. 

Honorary pallbearers are Bill Jones, Keith McDaneil and Dwight Stockton.

Visitation is Thursday, April 28, 2016, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Lakeshore Congregational Methodist Church and Friday, April 29, 2016, from 10 a.m. until time of services.

Mr. Johnston, 85, died Sunday, April 24, 2016, at his Byram residence. He was born in Summit to Benjamin “Benny” Thomas and Eula Williams Johnston.

He was the ninth of 12 children. In 1951, he finished Johnston Consolidated School in Johnston Station, where he was a two-time member of the Johnston Station State Champion basketball team. He then served in the Marines during the Korean War.

He began a professional career as a truck driver that moved him to Dallas, Texas, and Cincinnati, Ohio, before returning to Byram. He retired from ABF Freight System and has enjoyed retirement for over 20 years. His joys included his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, church activities and attending family socials. He was an active member of Lakeshore Congregational Methodist Church in Byram. It would be accurate to say Jewel was a Christian man who loved the Lord and his church.

Preceding him in death was his wife, Hilda Rae Brown Johnston; parents; and siblings, Flora Freeman, Clyde Johnston, Erma Stockton, Eva Kenna, Glen Johnston, Elwin Johnston and Lois Johnston.

Survivors are his daughters, Amaryllis Berry and Raymond Vaughn of Madison, and Krisann Allen of Garland, Texas; grandchildren, Britney Marciel of Flowood, Wesley Berry of Washington, D.C., Britton Smith and husband Harry Smith IV, of Dallas, Texas; great-grandchildren, Swazey Marciel, Christian Hitchcock, Tyler Reeves, Chap Reeves, Jewelian Smith and Harry Smith V; great-great-grandchild, Cooper Hitchcock; siblings, Floyd Johnston, Geraldine Reed, Bryant Johnston and Lemelia Boone; and numerous in-laws, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends, all of whom he cherished.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Memorial Garden Fund at Johnston Chapel United Methodist Church or Lakeshore Congregational Methodist. Alternately, in recognition of his generous nature, random acts of kindness for family, friends and strangers are encouraged. The family joins him in expressing thanks and gratitude to all that supported him through his health battles including doctors, nurses and staff at Baptist Hospital in Jackson, Highland Home Rehabilitation in Ridgeland and also Baptist Physical Therapy and Sportscare in Byram. The membership of Lakeshore Congregational Church and the friends and others too numerous to list who kept him in prayer.