Johnnie Dean Page, Jr. died peacefully in his home in Decatur, Georgia on August 3rd, 2020. He was 94 years old. A family only funeral service will be held on Saturday, August 8th in May and Smith Funeral Home Chapel with military honors. A graveside committal will be held at New Family Cemetery near Harrison. Reverend Ron Bracewell will officiate.
Johnnie was born in 1926 in Wrightsville, Georgia to Dean and Mabel Page and grew up in Washington County. He served in World War II in the Army Seventh Division starting in December 1944, saw combat action on the island of Okinawa and remained until the war ended. He then was stationed in Seoul, South Korea following the war and was discharged in January 1946. In 1949 he married Mary Elizabeth Smith of Harrison, Georgia and moved to Atlanta where he worked for the U.S Post Office as a Railway Postal Clerk. They raised three daughters and a son, Wanda, Janice, Reunett and Darrell. He coached the girls in youth softball and helped out on Darrell’s youth football teams. Johnnie retired from the U.S Postal Service in 1988 as a Ramp Clerk at Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta after 42 years. He started working for the DeKalb County school system at the Montreal Road Annex. He worked there for another ten years before he retired for good in 1999.
Johnnie liked to fish, garden and was a huge Georgia Tech football fan. He and Elizabeth attended games for over 50 years and cheered the Yellow Jackets during both good and not so good seasons. He was a devoted father and husband who liked to entertain the family with his stories about Okinawa, riding the trains, loading the mail on the jets, being chased by a turtle and growing up on a farm. He always kept a beautiful vegetable garden and kept the family and neighbors supplied with fresh vegetables. Johnnie possessed a remarkable memory and could answer questions about family all the way back to his childhood, navigate a road he travelled 40 years earlier and remember those Georgia Tech statistics. In addition to his parents, Johnnie is predeceased by a daughter Wanda Page Torrance.
Johnnie is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years, Elizabeth; his children Janice (Donnie), Reunett (Mark), and Darrell (Janet); grandchildren John, Christine, Joe, Eric, Jeremy, Kelly, Kristie, Katy and numerous great grandchildren.
He will be missed by all who knew and loved him. He truly was one of the greatest generation.
May and Smith Funeral Directors is in charge of these arrangements.