Kenneth Elbert Johnson, 84 years and 10 months, passed away on Sunday, April 30, 2023. He was born at home on June 26, 1938, to Elbert Franklin and Madge May (Yates) in Ellington, MO.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Dennis Johnson, and Donald and Dorothy Johnson, all of Paragould; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Melvagene and Lamoyne Foster of Mayflower, AR, Marvin and Ella Marie Thompson of Poplar Bluff, MO; daughter, Amy (Josh) Biggs of Bowling Green, KY; and granddaughter, Danielle Johnson of Paragould.
Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Rosemary (Reeves) of Paragould; son, Michael (Becki) Johnson; daughter, Lynn Tice of Knoxville, TN; two daughters, Rebecca (Keith) Johnson of Paragould, and Laura (Jesse) Matlock of Bloomington, IN; eight grandsons, Zack, Bodhi, Tyson, Shawn, Colton, Ashton, Benjamin, and Theodore; granddaughters, Blakelee and Caroline; great-grandchildren, Amia and Bodhi; sister, Judy (Ron) Britt; mother-in-law, Margaret Reeves, brothers-in-law, Danny, Kim, and Marc (Loretta) Reeves; and sister-in-law, Carol Martin.
Kenneth was very proud to serve in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War era and retired from Emerson where he was a supervisor for 37 years. He enjoyed spending time with his family and many coffee drinking buddies. He loved playing solitaire, watching westerns and religious TV programs weekly, as well as relaxing on his back porch swing while listening to country music, and watching the Razorbacks.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 2, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Phillips Funeral Home. The funeral service will be on Wednesday, May 3, at 11:00 a.m. at Phillips Funeral Home with Dr. Marcus Reeves officiating. Burial will follow at Greene County Memorial Gardens.
Michael Johnson, Keith Johnson, Jesse Matlock, Zack Johnson, Stephen Britt, and Steve Martin will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers include Bodhi Forbes, Tyson Johnson, Shawn Johnson, Daniel Reeves, Kim Reeves, and Marc Reeves.
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