Thomas Edward "Ed" Johnson's Obituary
Thomas Edward (Ed) Johnson, 90, of Memphis, TN, passed away on Friday, May 19, 2017, after an extended illness.Born in the Virginia Blue Ridge, Ed left home as a young man to serve in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II. After the war, he began his business career with Colgate-Palmolive, rising through the ranks in national sales management. In 1963 he moved to Memphis where he served as an executive vice-president with Holiday Inns until his retirement. He was a loving family man and awesome “PawPaw,” a congregant and elder of the Shady Grove Presbyterian Church, and an avid golfer not unfamiliar with the hole-in-one. He is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Marie Traylor Johnson, his son Thomas, his son Phillip, his daughter Kathy Johnson Tepper, daughters-in-law Abby Rosenthal Johnson and Vicki McLaurin Johnson, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.The family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 23 from 1:30 pm until 2 pm at the Mausoleum Rotunda of Memorial Park Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN. A service will follow visitation.Donations in Ed’s memory can be made to MIFA (Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association, c/o Advancement Office, 910 Vance Ave, Memphis, TN 38126 or online at www.mifa.org/donatenow) or to a charity of choice.“Celebrating Life….Behind the Stone Wall.”The obituary will be posted as soon as it becomes available.
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