Willie Johnson

Friday, March 9, 2012

Mr. Willie Johnson, 61, of Tulsa, Okla., died Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, in Tulsa.

He was a corporal in the United States Army and served in the Vietnam War. He received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Artillery Medals for his service.

He was a marketing manager for "Big K" department stores, a truck driver and a minister.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Margie D. Jones-Dodey and Jerry Johnson; his grandparents, "Second momma and daddy," Ada Mae and Eddie L. Jones; four brothers, James Johnson, Jerry Johnson Jr., Eddie Lee Johnson and Stanley Smith ; and one sister, Ethel Lee Pinkney.

He leaves behind five children, Sandra Henry of Los Angeles, Della R. Johnson of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Candacey D. Johnson of Knoxville, Tenn., Cedric G. Johnson of Little Rock and Rhonda D. Whaley of Detroit;

Two brothers, George E. Johnson and Freddie Smith of Blytheville;

Five sisters, Pearline Smith, Virginia Reel, Minnie Mae Smith, Doris Jean Warren and Katherine Page, all of Blytheville; and

His extended family of Tulsa, fiance Demetrice Hardrick and her three children, Alexandra Hardrick, Jasmen Hardrick and Quinn Hardrick.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church. The family will receive visitors from 5-7 p.m. today at Wolfe Brothers Funeral Home in Blytheville.