James R. Johnson

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Funeral service celebration the life of James R. Johnson will be held at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at Apostolic Restoration Church, West Monroe, LA. with Pastor, Nathan Thornton officiating. Interment will follow at the Northeast LA Veterans Cemetery, Rayville.

Family will accept friends for visitation Tuesday, April 1, 2025, 5-7 PM at the church.

James R. Johnson was born on September 17, 1945, in Urania, LA, to the union of Roy P. Johnson and Mable Cannaday Johnson. He passed from this life on March 28, 2025, at the age of 79.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Mable Johnson; his sister, Mary Belinda Dunn; and his brothers, George D. Aubrey and Roy Larue Johnson.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Judy Johnson; his sons, Roy Prentice “PJ” Johnson and wife, Darlene, and James Anthony “Tony” Johnson and wife, Tracy; his granddaughters, Morgan Tidwell and husband, Ben, Ashton Barker and husband, Michael, and Shelby Boytim and husband, Chase; his grandson, Coty Guerrero and wife, Emily; and his great-grandchildren, Judah Tidwell, Sutton Tidwell, Blair Barker, Baron Barker, and Charlotte Boytim. He is also survived by his brother, Thomas Aubrey, and his sister, Jeane Berry.

Serving as pallbearers are Ben Tidwell, Michael Barker, Charles McQuillin, Mike Shannon, Jeff Fox, and Eddie Tidwell.

Honorary pallbearers are Richard Mann, Steven Brandon, Mark Gulley, Frank Shavers, and Joey Wiley.

James joined the U.S. Navy in 1962 and was stationed at NAS North Island in San Diego, California, for one year before serving on the USS Valley Forge for 20 months. He completed two tours of duty in Da Nang, Vietnam, serving as a Navy Corpsman. He later served in the Army and Air Force Reserve for approximately fifteen years.

James joined the American Legion in 2005, where he served as Post Adjutant Commander and Department of Louisiana Sgt-at-Arms. At the district level, he served as Color Bearer and Vice Commander three times. He is presently the District Commander.

He served on the National Distinguished Guest Committee for three years and the Veterans Education and Rehabilitation Committee for two years. He was currently serving on the Constitution and By-Laws Committee and had just been appointed to the National Legislative Committee.

He had been a member of the D.A.V. since 2008 and served as Adjutant for three years for Chapter 8 in West Monroe, Louisiana. He was also a life member of the VFW.

Since 2008, he had been a member of the 40 & 8, Voiture 1588, in Koran, LA. He served as Lampiste, Chef de Train, and Chef de Gare three times. Additionally, he served as Grand Médecin for Grand du Louisiana for the past four years.

Military Awards:

• Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal

• National Defense Service Medal

• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

• Armed Forces Reserve Medal

• NCO Professional Development Ribbon w/2 devices

• Air Force Training Ribbon

• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

• Air Force Small Arms Expert Marksman Ribbon

• Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon

• Cold War Ribbon

• Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon

• Army Unit Citation Ribbon

• Expert Marksman Badge w/pistol and grenade

• Marksmanship Badge with rifle

• Aircrew Wings