Ann Horton Johnson, 77, of Kathleen passed away Monday, October 6, 2025, at Navicent Health in Macon. A graveside funeral service will be held for Ann at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, October 9, 2025, at Oak Ridge Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest. The Rev. David Miller, the Rev. Fred McCoy and the Rev. Ike Branch will officiate. The family will receive friends on Thursday, October 9, 2025, from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Rawlings Johnson, Colonel Cliff Johnson, Terry Ganas, Tyson Ganas, Curtis Pope and Zack Kennedy will serve as pallbearers.
Born May 12, 1948, in Waycross, Ann was the daughter of the late Clifton Horton and Lucille McClellan Horton. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one grandson, Owen Johnson.
Ann grew up in Jacksonville, FL and attended Paxon High School before moving to Thomasville, GA where she graduated from Thomasville High School. After High School, she continued her education at Birdwood College (now Thomas University) before earning her Bachelors Degree at Valdosta State College (now Valdosta State University). After starting her teaching career in Moultrie, GA at Sunset Elementary, she moved to Americus, GA and taught there while earning her Masters Degree at Georgia Southwestern. She also taught in the Tift County School System, Tifton Christian Development Institute and retired from the Colquitt County School System in 2003.
For over thirty years, Ann enjoyed her profession and was able to touch many lives along the way. She had a keen ability to see the potential in her students and a strong desire to help the students develop to their full potential. Once she recognized a student who had ability and potential that far exceeded the development resources available at the school she was enrolled in. Ann discussed the situation with the parents and was able to get the student access to a better academic situation. Several years later, Ann was greatly honored when that student called her one night and told her that she was responsible for her academic success. The student had become the Star Student in a neighboring county and wanted to choose Ann as her Star Teacher.
Ann had an unwavering faith in God and was a dedicated prayer warrior. She was faithful to studying her Bible and praying over her ever-changing prayer list every day. If you got on her list, she prayed for you until results were evident. She was a member of Houston Lake Baptist Church in Perry.
She already is greatly missed by the loved ones she left behind. Without a doubt, Ann is in Heaven today, forever healed, and celebrating with Jesus, but she will always be in the heart and mind of the loved ones she left behind.
Ann is survived by her husband, Emory Johnson of Kathleen; two sons, Rawlings Johnson (Carson) of Dawsonville; Colonel Cliff Johnson (Kristy) of Clovis, New Mexico; two daughters, Suzanne Ganas (Terry) of Kathleen and Jacy Hawkins (Tim) of Allen, Texas; two sisters, Jann Brodeur (Rich) of Woodstock and Zann Kennedy (Tony) of Cumming; and eight grandchildren, Tyson Ganas, Ryan Johnson, Julie Ganas, Rachel Johnson, Clifton Johnson, William Johnson, Hayden Hawkins and Grayson Hawkins.
Flowers will be accepted, or memorial gifts may be made to a charity of choice.