Sam Johnson

Private services will take place at a later date.

Sam Johnson was born in Memphis, TN in 1949, and died at his home in Hardeman County on December 27, 2024. He was the son of the late Sam Sr. and Mary Schilling Johnson of Memphis. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Colleen, and a brother, David Johnson of Oakland, TN. His sister, Margaret Johnson just passed earlier this month.

In his youth, Sam graduated from Westwood High School in Memphis, and the William R. Moore Technical School, where he earned a 2 year degree in electronics. Young Sam earned the rank of Eagle in the Boy Scouts.

Sam worked 24 years as an electronics technician at St Francis Hospital in Memphis. Later, he was the head of the electrical department at Home Depot and worked as an electrical instructor for the Corrections Corporation of America.

Sam was a strong believer in serving the community he lived in, and spent a lifetime turning that conviction into action.

As a young man, he volunteered with the Shelby County Sheriffs Department Rescue Squad, where he helped save several people’s lives after bad car wrecks or other accidents.

As an amateur (ham) radio operator, Sam used his skills to facilitate the successful passage of important messages during emergency situations. As a member of the Air Force Military Affiliated Radio Service (AF-MARS), he used his radio to link deployed military members with their families back home.

Other organizations he performed volunteer labor for include the American Red Cross, the Middleton TN Police Department, and the American Radio Emergency Service (ARES).

He served a full 20 year term as the Selective Service Board Representative for Hardeman County, TN.

Sam was also a life long member of the Masonic Lodge.

In later life - after undergoing successful bilateral knee surgery at age 67 - his life moved into a completely new direction, when he began walking in community foot races dedicated to raising money for charity. Although most of the races he did were 5Ks (3.1 mile races), he successfully completed two full marathons (26.2 miles each): one in Cape Girardeau, MO and the other in Germantown, TN. He was 68 years old when he walked those two marathons.

Sam was loved and respected by all who knew him. He will be greatly missed in the days to come. But he leaves this world a better place because of the 75 years he was a part of it.