MELVIN JOHNSON SR.

(WATCH THE 14 MINUTE VIDEO OF MR. JOHNSON, AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS MEMORIAL PAGE)

MELVIN JOHNSON, SR., 73, OF SHERWOOD, TRANSITIONED INTO ETERNITY ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, AT HIS HOME, WHILE HIS FAMILY SURROUNDED HIM WITH LOVE. MELVIN JOHNSON SR. WAS BORN JUNE 9, 1948 TO THE LATE EVELYN ROBINSON JOHNSON (DYER) AND THE LATE VERNON THOMAS JOHNSON, WHO WERE MARRIED UNTIL THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF THEIR FIRST SON VERNON T. JOHNSON JR. (CAR ACCIDENT) AFTER WHICH TIME THEY SEPARATED. AS LIFE WOULD HAVE IT EVELYN (GRANNY) REMARRIED TO THE LATE DANIEL DYER WHO RAISED THE CHILDREN WITH ALL THE LOVE, WISDOM AND CARE A FATHER SHOULD.

MELVIN SR.  AND HIS SISTERS PATRICIA, JEANETTE, JUDY AND (DANNETTE, THE ONLY CHILD SIRED BY DANIEL DYER) AFFECTIONATELY AND APPROPRIATELY CALLED HIM “DADDY”. THE GRANDKIDS CALLED HIM “PAW PAW”

MELVIN SR. BROUGHT INTO THIS WORLD HIS FIRST-BORN CHILD ARNELL BRYANT, THEN FINISHED HIS HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AT JOB CORP AND ENTERED SERVICE IN THE NAVY AND TRAVELED THE WORLD, EVENTUALLY COMING HOME AND OFTEN TELLING STORIES OF NAVY LIFE AND OF WHEN HE CROSSED THE EQUATOR AND BECAME A ‘SHELLBACK”.

HE SERVED IN THE MILITARY DURING A PERIOD CALLED THE “KOREAN CONFLICT” HE WAS INJURED IN THE MILITARY BEING AFFECTED BY A CHEMICAL CALLED “AGENT ORANGE” AND BEING DIAGNOSED WITH “PTSD”. HE RETURNED HOME A DISABLED VETERAN AND MARRIED THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE THE LATE DIANE SUE HUGHES OF WHICH WERE BORN 4 CHILDREN, MELVIN
JOHNSON II, BRIAN E JOHNSON SR., JENIFER J. JOHNSON AND ZACHARY A. JOHNSON SR. MELVIN SR LOVED RAISING TROPICAL FISH AND KEEPING THEM IN LARGE ELABORATE FISH TANKS, HIS FAVORITE BEING TIGER STRIPED FISH CALLED “OSCARS”. HE ALSO LOVED RAISING DOGS AND SHOW PIGEONS.

BEING FROM PRESCOTT, AR AND A COUNTRY BOY HE ALSO RAISED RHODE ISLAND RED CHICKENS IN THE MIDDLE OF LR, AR ON 12TH ST AND GATHERED BROWN EGGS EVERY WEEKENG FOR MAMA (DIANE) TO COOK FOR BREAKFAST. THIS HE DID UNTIL HE WAS NO LONGER ABLE DUE TO HEALTH ISSUES.

MELVIN SR. SPENT HIS TIME BEING AMONG FAMILY ADMIRING AND LAUGHING AND ENJOYING THE QUIRKS AND TALENTS OF HIS CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. HE LOVED HIS FAMILY AND WE LOVED HIM!

A COUPLE OF HIS FAVORITE SONG LYRICS WERE “ONE LOVE, ONE LOVE YOU’RE LUCKY IF YOU HAVE JUST ONE AND “SOMEBODY LOVES YOU BABY”, OF WHICH HE WOULD SING WHETHER YOU ASKED HIM TO OR NOT. LOL TO THE EXTENDTED FAMILY HE WILL ALWAYS BE “UNCKA BUBBA”

HE LIVED HIS LIFE WITH NO FEAR AND LOVED ANY WHO WOULD LET HIM! BEFORE HIS TIME WAS UP, HE CALLED JESUS HIS LORD!!!

A walkthrough viewing for Mr. Johnson will be on Friday, April 1, from 4-6 p.m. at O.T. Smith Memorial Chapel; funeral on Saturday, April 2 at 11 a.m., Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church, 421 W. 22nd Street, North Little Rock. Interment: Arkansas State Veterans, Monday April 4, at 9 a.m. Kelly Smith Funeral & Cremation Services (8424 Kanis Road, 501-612-5607) will be serving the Johnson families. For more information, sign online guest register, send flowers/cards/condolences/photos and light an "In Loving Memory Of" candle: www.kellysmithfunerals.com.  PER THE FUNERAL HOME & THE CHURCH'S REQUEST, MASK ARE REQUIRED TO ENTER ALL EVENTS FOR MR. JOHNSON!

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