Dateline: June 3, 2004

Johnson

Smiley Eugene Johnson, 69, died May 28, 2004.

Smiley was born the son of Harper Stewart “Major” and Bess Graham Johnson September 20, 1934, at State College, MS.  He graduated from Starkville High and Miss. State College. He married Floyce Jane Shaw on August 4, 1956, at College Hill near Oxford, MS.

He was a pilot and photo interpreter in the US Air Force and then graduated from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Kentucky.  He served as mobile minister and pastor at Reserve, Glenwood, Apache Creek, Datil, and Quemado, NM.  He was director of Geneva Conference Center for the Synod of Indiana at Rochester, IN, a civil engineer technician in Indianapolis, then pastor at Canadian, TX.  He was a landman and pilot for George Arrington Oil, pilot for King Drilling, operated the Hemphill County Airport, flight instructor, EMT intermediary, and retired from America West Airlines as Captain. 

He served as pastor at Clarendon and was honorably retired from the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 2001.

While in Clarendon, Smiley served on the Board of Aldermen and spent many hours working to improve the city’s airport, which in April was renamed the Smiley Johnson Municipal Airport in his honor.

Survivors include his wife, Jane; children, Janet Cullender, her husband, Jeff, and their children, Patricia and Joey; Steve Johnson, his wife, Lisa, and their children, Austin, Lacey, Jet, and Emma; Edward Johnson, his wife, Renee, and their children, Ashley, Erica, Amber Ford, her husband, Chris, and son, Taylor; Pam Flowers, her husband, Charlie, and son, Rhett; Bruce Johnson, his wife, Lori, and their children, Brock and Mae, all of Canadian; Harper Johnson and his wife, Cindy, of Flagstaff, AZ; a brother, H.S. “Buddy” Johnson, of Weatherford, TX; and two sisters, Ollie Gannaway of Louisville, KY, and Anne McWhorter of Starkville, MS.

A service of thanksgiving for his life was held at the First Presbyterian Church of Canadian with the Rev. John Duncan leading the worship. 

A memorial service is also scheduled to be held at the Presbyterian Church in Clarendon next Tuesday, June 8, at 6 p.m.