Shannon Hilliard Johnson

Shannon Hilliard Johnson, 45, of Los Angeles, CA was killed Wednesday in the tragic incident in San Bernardino, CA while he and his fellow employees were attending a Christmas party. He died heroically as he acted as a shield for a fellow employee who survived the violent massacre of 14 people. He will be remembered throughout America for his statement “I got you” as he covered her body from the gunfire of the assailants. According to family, friends and fellow employees, he selflessly gave to all with whom he had contact.

He was an outstanding high school baseball and football player. After graduating from Windsor Academy in Macon, GA, he signed a baseball scholarship to Middle Georgia Junior College and eventually played for Augusta College in Augusta, GA. In 2004, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science from Cal State University of San Bernardino. He had plans of pursuing his doctorate in the same area. In 2005, he went to work for San Bernardino County as an Environmental Health Specialist where he remained employed until the time of his death. Shannon was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Robert L. Hilliard Jr. and Dorothy D. Hilliard; paternal grandfather, Joseph Frank Johnson; father, Robert “Bobby” Franklin Johnson; uncle, Robert “Bobby” L. Hilliard III.

Survivors are his mother, Barbara J. Pollard; stepfather, Dr. Albert E. Pollard, Jr.; brother, Robert “Rob” Franklin (Beth) Johnson, Jr.; sister, Samantha Pollard (Wes) Odom; paternal grandmother Willie Dell Johnson of Jesup, GA; nieces, Annsley Johnson and Emma Odom; nephews, Robert “Bobby” F. Johnson, III, Jacob Odom, and Gabriel Odom; aunts, Sandra (Gary) Bunn, Terri (Kim) Bennett and Gerri Carbaat; cousins, Susan Hilliard Harden, Gary Bunn, Jr., Sean Bennett, Brennan Bennett, Jessica Dougherty and Chase Wolfe; step grandparents, Albert E. and Louise Pollard of Macon, GA.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, December 12, 2015 at Windsor Academy Gym, Macon, GA and at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 12, 2015 with the Rev. Joe McDaniel officiating and at Calvary Baptist Church, Jesup, GA with the Rev. Ed Bacon and the Rev. Vann Dempsey officiating. Private interment services will be held by the family at a later date in Jesup City Cemetery.

The online guestbook may be signed at www.snowsmacon.com or at www.rinehartandsons.com.

Snow's Memorial Chapel, Pio Nono Avenue has charge of local arrangements.