A Celebration of Life Service for Barry Lloyd Johnson, age 68, of Clarksville, Tennessee, who went home to be with his Lord Jesus on Saturday, December 12, will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, at The Vineyard Church, Clarksville. The lead pastor and friend Landon Meadow will officiate.
Barry was born February 9, 1952, in Wichita, Kansas, and lived a life full of adventure, mayhem, chaos, joy, laughter, and love. After Barry graduated high school, he entered the U.S. Army and spent almost 22 years in active service flying his beloved Chinooks and completing three tours in Vietnam. He also was deployed to Honduras, Panama, and Germany. While he was stationed in Honduras, he met Jesus and was baptized – he was about 28 years old. The world would never be the same! Barry retired from the military in the early 1990s and married Donna not long after. Following retirement, he worked for several companies, including LSI, a civilian employer on base, Mercury Airport, Nashville, and The Vineyard Church, where Barry was a staff evangelist for over a decade. He also later became church custodian.
How can anyone tell the story of Barry in a short piece of writing? He was street-wise in evangelism, generous, and served wherever he was with all that was in him. From mission trips to Mexico and Antigua to weekly Bible studies at Shoneys to teaching at a Coptic church in Nashville, he was all about Jesus. If you happened to be with him on any city street, you were “dragged into” service, helping him pray for others. The day after he passed, yet another visitor walked into The Vineyard, invited by Barry. He is irreplaceable and will be missed.
Barry is survived by his wife, Donna Kay Johnson of Clarksville, and step-son Shayne Medlin of Panama City Beach. He was preceded in death by a son, Genesis Christian Johnson.
All who know Barry have no doubt that he has heard the words he longed to hear: Well done, good and faithful servant.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project.
Please visit Barry’s tribute wall at www.tennesseecremation.com and leave a memory with the family.