Howard G. Johnson Jr.

Howard G. Johnson, Jr. passed away on June 24, 2024. Howard was born on November 3, 1953, and lived his whole life in South Knoxville. He was a 1971 graduate of Doyle High School and graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1977. He subsequently obtained a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee in 1982.

For over thirty years, he was a beloved teacher at Carter Middle School, where he primarily taught Earth Science, a subject that allowed him to share some of his greatest passions, like the workings of the solar system, geology, and the conservation of the ocean, all while pouring into the lives of his students. During his tenure, he served as Department Chair of the Carter Middle School Science Department, and, among other things, he instituted an annual field trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He founded Carter Middle School’s Conservation Club and arranged for middle school students to experience traveling by air for the first time and, on another occasion, to travel to Norfolk, VA and board the Calypso, the ship belonging to Jacques Costeau, the famed French oceanographer who invented modern-day scuba diving.

For 47 years, Howard was a member of First Baptist Church of Knoxville, where he served as a Deacon, a middle school Sunday school teacher, a member of the personnel committee, and, together with his wife, he prepared and served the Lord’s supper for services.

Howard deeply loved the mountains and lakes of East Tennessee. He shared his love of nature and the outdoors with his wife, three children, and later, their growing families. On most weekends and for weeks at a time in the summer, he spent time with his family on Little River in Townsend, TN or on a local lake. In fact, his last activity was diving into Norris Lake, a place he would have chosen for his last earthly day. An avid boater, he fished, skied, swam, and introduced countless kids to Norris Lake, patiently teaching them to water ski or pulling them across the lake on inner tubes. At night, he would gather his family to stargaze, sing songs and often hosted bon fires burning firewood he chopped himself. He loved music of all kinds and appreciated listening to songs from every genre – James Taylor, Motown, yacht rock, hymns, country, and even rap and indie rock. He maintained an adventurous streak, from learning to scuba dive as a younger man to, more recently, driving his grandchildren to view the Northern Lights when briefly viewable from Knoxville. He loved fiercely; he was a beloved husband, family man and nurturing grandfather; attending his grandsons’ sporting events, babysitting, maintaining a large garden, creating obstacle courses for the kids and driving his grandchildren around in his John Deere “gator”. His family and friends relied on his steadfast faith, kind heart and one-of-a-kind sense of humor. He loved to laugh, and others usually found themselves laughing in his presence.

Howard is preceded in death by his parents, Gordon and Betty Johnson, twin brothers, who died at birth, and his beloved Aunt Wanda Epps. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Ruthie Johnson, his children Megan Johnson, Drew (Lindsey) Johnson, and Neil Johnson; his grandchildren, Hayes and Shep Johnson, and Hank Parsons; his sisters, Jenny Johnson and Julie Johnson; and countless cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Remote Area Medical (Remote Area Medical | Remote Area Medical (ramusa.org)_ and First Baptist Church of Knoxville (First Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tennessee - First Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tennessee (fbcknox.org)).

The family invites you to share condolences and fond memories of Howard at www.berryfuneralhome.com