Wendell Johnson

Mr. Wendell Lloyd Johnson of Flemingsburg, KY, loving husband of 50 years to Angela Heitz Johnson, passed away from this life on Mon day, March 21, 2016. Mr. Johnson was born in Grange City, Kentucky on August 16, 1940, the second of four children to the late Thomas C. and Glyda Crawford Johnson. Mr. Johnson proudly started his education at the one room Johnson Schoolhouse, later attending Hillsboro Elementary and Flemingsburg Elementary. He was a graduate of Fleming County High School where he played basketball and was a member of FFA.

Mr. Johnson attended the University of Kentucky his freshman year of college where he also joined the ROTC. He then transferred to Morehead State University and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts in education with an emphasis in mathematics, all while continuing to farm alongside his father. He later earned his Masters at Western Kentucky University. Mr. Johnson and his wife moved to Louisville in 1967 where he began his teaching career at Fern Creek High School. While at Fern Creek, Mr. Johnson served as the assistant coach of the boys basketball team and coach of the boys varsity baseball team.

In 1975, Mr. Johnson's love of farming led he and his wife back to the Fleming County area. He began teaching at his alma mater, Fleming County High School and again coached both basketball and baseball all while farming tobacco, corn, hay and cattle, proudly carrying on a long family tradition. Mr. Johnson became the principal of Simons Middle School in Flemingsburg quickly obtaining the reputation of a strict disciplinarian. It was his great sense of honor, privilege, and commitment that he felt for being entrusted with the education of not only his children, but the children of Fleming County that led him to be a no nonsense administrator. Mr. Johnson felt a huge responsibility to not only guide, but protect the children entrusted to his care.

Mr. Johnson went on to serve the Fleming County school system in the capacity of Food Service Director, Fleming County High School principal, and Superintendent of Fleming County Schools. It was in his capacity of superintendent that he worked to strengthen the agriculture program that he felt was so vital to our community. In 1997, Mr. Johnson retired from the Fleming County School System and began farming on a full time basis. He was very proud to be the last in a long line of tobacco farmers to continue the tradition of tobacco farming that he himself learned at a very young age on mule drawn equipment. Mr. Johnson will be remembered for his strength and determination even in the face of illness and adversity.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Johnson was preceded in death by: his brothers, John Paul and Gary Johnson; his brother-in-law, Billy Calvert; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Vivian Heitz; and grandparents, Johnny and Pearl Johnson, and Lloyd and Mag Crawford.

In addition to his wife Angela, Mr. Johnson is survived by: his children, Amy and Kevin Ishmael, Wendy and Tony Hargett, and R.T. Johnson and Amecia Wickerham; his grandchildren, Jared and Sarah Ishmael; his sister, Carolyn Johnson Calvert; sister-in-law, Margaret Royse Johnson; nieces, Kristie (CC) Campbell, Heather (Damon) Hitch, Ashley Johnson; great-nieces, Ava and Emily Hitch; and uncles, Dick Crawford and Gerald (Naomi) Johnson.

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am Friday, March 25, 2016 at the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church presided by The Rev. Father Josiah N. Booth. Visitation will be 5-8 pm Thursday, March 24th at the Carpenter-Fritz & Vice Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Fleming County Cemetery.

Active pallbearers will be R.T. Johnson, Kevin Ishmael, Tony Hargett, CC Campbell, Randy Barker, and Doug Masters. Honorary pallbearers will be Donnie Botkins, Danny Crawford, and Bill Beckett.

Visitation:
5-8 pm Thursday (03/24/16) at Carpenter-Fritz & Vice Funeral Home

Funeral:
11:00 am Friday (03/25/16) at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church

Interment:
Fleming County Cemetery