Charles Ray Johnson, age 69, passed peacefully in the early morning of Friday, November 8, 2019, at his home in Meherrin, VA, ending his decade-long battle with COPD. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Virginia Johnson; nephew, Danny Johnson; and his brother-in-law, Rufus Johnson.
Born and raised in Four Oaks, NC, Charles devotedly served his country by joining the U S Coast Guard at the age of 17, and later served his community as a deputy sheriff in North Carolina near his childhood home. His nicknames were, “Baby Ray”, “Carolina Kid”, and “Buda”…all bestowed on him by family and commanding officers. Charles loved his family, his friends, his pets, his country, beach music, a cold beer in one hand and a fishing pole in the other, biscuits and gravy, and sharing his viewpoints with anybody and everybody.
Charles leaves behind his loving wife, Mary Frances Bell-Johnson; sisters, Meta Faye Johnson and Edna Jean Snead (Festus); a brother, Paul Linwood Johnson (Margaret); and a “sister-niece”, Phyllis Johnson Byrd Reynolds; numerous nieces and nephews; a host of special and close friends (you know who you are!); his care givers, Centra Hospice of Farmville and his sister-in-law, Diane Bell.
A funeral service will be held at 12 p.m., Wednesday, November 13, 2019, at Sandy Creek Baptist Church, Jetersville, VA with interment to follow in church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Southside SPCA, Meherrin, VA. The Browning-Duffer Funeral Home in Keysville, VA is serving the family.
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Ron Parker
My sincere apology and condolences to the family of Charles Ray. I am his cousin, Ronnie Parker, son of Jessie Johnson Parker, who was the sister of his mother, Virginia Johnson. We grew up together until our family moved to Richmond, VA when I was 9. Our mothers would visit each other on Sundays, as folks did back in the day, and us boys would run and play and get into all kinds of mischief on the farms. We lost track of each other after I moved away, but I have always retained very fond memories of the years we played together as young boys in the country. I always missed Charles Ray, what a great sense of humor he always had. I am so sorry for your loss.