Ralph Arnold Johnson

Ralph Arnold Johnson, 77, a resident of Charleston, went to be with his Lord on Saturday, March 26, 2016 He retired from Bowater Paper Corporation in 2001 after 41 years where he was an Electrical and Instrumentation Technician. He was also a Real Estate broker and Auctioneer for Coldwell-Banker. Ralph held a multitude of civic positions. He served on the City Planning Committee, was City Commissioner, and then Mayor of Charleston, TN. He was also a member of the Charleston Ruritan. With the Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Fraternal Order, he held various national positions, was Tennessee Jurisdictional President and was the Lodge 16 President for multiple terms. In addition, he served on the Board of Directors for Bowater Credit Union for years. Striving to live up to his motto “It's All About Jesus” Ralph served at North Cleveland Baptist Church for 20 years where he served as Deacon, Chairman of Deacons, and Training Union Director which at the time was the largest in the Bradley Association. He was a Deacon, Sunday School Teacher and church training instructor at Lamontville Baptist Church for 8 years. Then, in 1987 he and his wife Linda felt led to start a church plant in their home. This church blossomed to become Liberty Baptist Church of Lamontville, Tn. Here he served in various teaching roles and in 2001 was called and ordained as a Southern Baptist Minister. In this new role he served as the Minister of Christian Education. Subsequently he served as the Associational Discipleship Director for the McMinn-Meigs Association.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents Obie and Roberta Johnson and his two brothers, Bobby Lewis Johnson and David Samuel Johnson. He is survived by his wife Linda Dianne Johnson; son, Barry Johnson and his wife Melanie of Hampton, Virginia and their sons Evan Johnson and Daniel Johnson; daughter, Robin Hunt of Franklin Ohio and her daughters Catherine Hunt and Sara Jean Hunt. His sisters-in-law Nancy Elmore of Morehead City, Nc; Patsy Mikel Johnson of Cleveland and her children David Mikel Johnson and his wife Dianna, and Myra Johnson Rasmussen and her husband William (Bill).

The family will receive friends from 5-8 PM, on Thursday, March 31st at the Bellefonte Baptist Church in Cleveland, Tn. A memorial service will be held at Bellefonte Baptist Church on Friday, 1 April at 11:00 AM. A graveside service will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Cleveland. You are invited to share a personal memory of Ralph or your condolences with his family at his online memorial located at www.companionfunerals.com. Companion Funeral and Cremation Service and the Cody family are honored to assist the Johnson family with these arrangements.