Willie V. Johns, 75, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, passed away Wednesday, October 22, 2014 in Fitzgerald.
Funeral services will be held 3 PM, Saturday, October 25, 2014, at The Paulk Funeral Home Chapel in Fitzgerald with the Rev. Earlie Holt officiating. Interment will follow in the Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Wilcox County. The family will receive friends Friday evening, from 7 to 9, at the funeral home in Fitzgerald.
Mr. Johns was born April 14, 1939, in Coffee County, Georgia, to the late William Vilas Johns and Blanche Mae McSwain Johns. He was a former resident of Cordele and Vienna and had lived in the community most of his life. He was a farmer and a sheer operator for Elixir Industries in Fitzgerald. Mr. Johns sold produce for many years and enjoyed “propping up the shade tree”. He attended Christian Tabernacle Church.
He is survived by his children: David Earl & Michelle Clark of Adel, Elizabeth Paul and her fiancé’ Jason Scarborough of Fitzgerald, Patricia Ann & James Edward Lunsford of Fitzgerald, Katherine Sawyer of Fitzgerald; a daughter-in-law: Patsy Johns of Douglas; 23 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; a sister: Rosetta J. Giddens & Harold of Fitzgerald; brothers: Harley C. Johns & Sharon of Fitzgerald and Frank Johns of Fitzgerald. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife: Billie Jo Johns; a son: Willie Joe Johns; a son-in-law: Jamie Sawyer; an infant brother: John Henry Johns, brothers: Howard Johns, Norman Alfred Johns, Jack Edward Johns and J. W. Johns and a sister: Geneva Fulford.
The family wishes to acknowledge the following people for helping to care for Mr. Johns over the past few weeks: Selina & Bobby Cotterman, Loretta Varnedore, David Varnedore, Sr., David Varnedore, Jr., and Kimberly Paul.