Jim Ronald Johnson Sr

July 10, 2014

Big Stone Gap, Virginia James (Jim) Ronald Johnson, Sr, 73, of Big Stone Gap, VA, passed away in the early evening of Thursday, July 10, after a life-long journey of sharing Jesus in joy and love. Jim was born in Bluefield, WV and was baptized as a child in Bluefield United Methodist Church. He graduated from Phoenix Union High School, Phoenix, AZ, and thereafter pursued a 2.5-year LDS mission in Mexico. He met the love of his life, Karon Merrill, proposed two weeks later, and married in December 1964. Jim received his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Arizona State University while fulfilling his military commitment to the U.S. Army Reserves. He served with Norfolk & Western Railway while living in Salem, VA, Columbus, OH,and Yorktown, IN. Jim and his family relocated to Big Stone Gap, VA in 1978 where he was the manager of East Stone Quarry. He was known in Big Stone Gap as the owner of Johnson’s Hardware for over 30 years. He served as town councilman and was on the board of LENOWISCO and the Wise County Housing Authority. He was the Associate Pastor of Heritage Church of God and was the former pastor of Alley’s Chapel United Methodist Church, Derby UMC, Exeter UMC, and Hale’s Chapel.Also, he served locally in prison ministry and generously supported global missions that reached deeply into non-churched communities around the world. For more than 25 years, Jim and Karon opened their home to studentsacross the globe who all became part of the extended Johnson family. Jim is survived by his companion of 49 years, Karon, his 5 children and 13 grandchildren: son James Ronald (Ron), Jr, his wife Lisa, and their children, Colton and Hannah; son Patrick, his wife Anne, and their children, Bryghte, Asher and Madray; daughter Renita, and her children Logan, Eden, Avery and Brinklee; son Jared; daughter Angel, her husband Lyle, and their children, Kara, Alaina, Vivian and Micah James. He is preceded in death by his father James Ralph of Bluefield, WV, and his mother Hazel Earline of Gary, WV. The family will receive friends at the Heritage Church of God, Big Stone Gap, from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 15th with services following officiated by Rev. Ronnie Mutter. Graveside services will be private at the Derby UMC. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone NC, 28607. Roy A. Green Funeral Home, Appalachia is serving the Johnson family.