Thomas Jefferson “Jeff” Johnson Jr.
Published 5:00 am Monday, May 14, 2001
Services for Thomas Jefferson “Jeff” Johnson Jr. of Brookhavenare at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 13, at Brookhaven Funeral Home Chapelwith burial in Easthaven Cemetery.
Visitation is from 8 o’clock this morning until the time of theservice at the funeral home.
Mr. Johnson, 77, died May 11, 2001, at King’s Daughters MedicalCenter. He was born in Panhandle, Texas, on Oct. 15, 1923, toThomas Jefferson Johnson and Ola Walker Johnson.
Mr. Johnson was retired from State Bank after 35 years as a vicepresident.
He was a decorated war veteran, having served first as areplacement in the 1st Provisional Raider Regiment and eventuallyin the 6th Marine Division. His medals and citations included thePurple Heart for wounds received in the battle of Okinawa, thePresidential Unit Citation for his service in the 6th MarineDivision, and the Navy Unit Commendation.
After his discharge from the Marines, Mr. Johnson completed hiseducation at Mississippi College, earning a BA degree in psychologyin 1950. He received a Master of Theology degree from the NewOrleans Baptist Theological Seminary and served as the pastor atHolly Springs Baptist Church in east Lincoln County beforebeginning his career in banking.
Mr. Johnson was active in the community through the CivitanClub, the chamber of commerce, the Boy Scouts and youthbaseball.
He was a member of First Baptist Church for 50 years and workedin the Intermediate Department for many of those years. He alsoserved as music director for the Senior Adult Department.
Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife of 45 years, BertilleFranklin Johnson of Brookhaven; his sons, Thomas Geoffrey Johnsonof Huntsville, Ala., James Keith Johnson of Huntsville, Ala., andJohn Kent Johnson of Birmingham, Ala.; seven grandchildren.
The family requests that memorials me made to HospiceMinistries.