Richard Johnson, 62, of Vidette died Dec. 3

Richard Alvin Johnson, 62, of Vidette, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully Sunday, Dec. 3, 2006 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services were held 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, at Green Fork Baptist Church in Perkins with Dr. James Ray Freeman Sr. officiating. Interment followed at the church cemetery.

The family received friends at DeLoach-Kennedy Funeral Home in Waynesboro 6-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4.

Born March 31, 1944 to Kathleen Wright Johnson and the late Thomas Allen Johnson of Cordele, he grew up on a farm in Warwick, developing a life-long love of agriculture and the outdoors. He graduated from Crisp County High School and from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. While in college, he entered the military and served a tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam. He returned to the states and married Emma Lee Parker on June 7, 1969, before finishing his bachelor's degree at the University of Georgia. He received his master's degree in leadership from Georgia Southern University.

He spent the next 37 years raising a family and working in the agricultural and educational fields. He enjoyed several careers, including agricultural teacher and farm manager. He was employed with Ogeechee Mental Health Services at the Burke County Service Center at the time of his death. He was also a member of the American Legion and Green Fork Baptist Church, where he served for many years as a Sunday School teacher and deacon. His honesty and integrity provided a Christian witness to all he met.

He was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Allen Johnson, and his father-in-law, Emory Parker.

Richard is survived by his wife, Emma Lee Parker Johnson; two daughters, Pamela Anne Johnson and Amy Janan Johnson Filson and her husband, William Filson; a grandson, Ford Filson; his mother, Kathleen Wright Johnson; sister and brother-in-law, Ava and Jim Hrodey; mother-in-law, Rosie Parker; and brotherin law and sister-in-law, Louis and Debbie Parker; and many nieces and nephews.

Richard and his love of fun and humor will be sorely missed by his family and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Green Fork Baptist Church, 2474 Perkins-Green Fork Road, Perkins, GA 30822; or Edmund Burke Academy, 403 Highway 56 South, Waynesboro, GA 30830.

DeLoach-Kennedy Funeral Home, Waynesboro, Ga., 706-554- 3531.