Psalms 48:1: Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.
Elder Josh Nelson Johnson, Sr. was born on July 11, 1949, in Milton, FL to the late Lawrence A. Johnson and Rosa Bell Allen Johnson.
He was educated at Magnolia School and continued on to T.R. Jackson High School. Afterwards, he had an extensive work history to include Santa Rosa County Lumber Company. He held many other jobs, to eventually retire from the Santa Rosa County school system as a bus driver. In 1978, he was singing with a gospel quartet called the Soul Survivors. Then, he felt a deep calling from the Lord to go into the ministry, and he preached his trial sermon on December 31, 1979.
In his early years he attended Greater Bethlehem A.M.E. and later in 1978 he became a member of Ferris Hill Church of God in Christ, where he would one day become pastor. He was a light in the community and was loved by many far and wide. He was always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need, even down to the last of what he had. He loved preaching and teaching; he served all over, many were blessed by the word of God, and many were saved by the ministry God had called him to. Many were healed, some brought back to life, delivered and set free by the power of God. He worked hard on the building, and especially on getting the people ready to meet the Lord. He also loved the church members very much and prayed continually for them. He always had a smile and a kind word to share with others and he loved praising God!
On August 1, 1973, he was joined in Holy Matrimony to Carolyn Graham and to this union was born two sons and two daughters.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Rosa Bell Johnson; two sisters Rosa Laurice and Annie Pearl; three brothers: Eddie, Freddie and Lawrence Jr. and two others.
Josh leaves to cherish the memory of his loving wife of 48 years, Mrs. Carolyn Johnson; two sons, Josh N Johnson, Jr., Daytona, FL, Alonzo Tyre Johnson, Milton, FL; two daughters, Tisha L. Johnson (Jeffery) and Cassandra E. Johnson, both of Milton, FL; one sister, Sarah C. Gooden, Milton, FL; three brothers, Ralph E. Johnson (Patsy), Charles N. Igus (Christina) and Lawrence F. Igus, all of Milton, FL; eleven grandchildren; four great grandchildren and two god daughters, Joanna Cobb and Ida Hannah; four sister-in-law’s: Betty Bloxson, Rose Mary Coleman, Shirley Rich, Barbara Waitman (James); three brother-in-law’s: Melvin Graham Jr., Spencer Graham, Clinton Hall and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and many special friends.
Trahan Family Funeral Home of Milton is handling all arrangements.
Visitation will be held at Ferris Hill Church of God in Christ on Friday, October 15, 2021 at 6:30 pm. Funeral service will be held at Ferris Hill Church of God in Christ on Saturday, October 16, 2021, visitation begins at 1:00 pm and service at 2:00 pm with interment to follow to Milton Keyser Cemetery.