Sandy Johnson Jr

Obituary

of

Sandy Johnson, Jr.

Our hero, father, role model, CEO, entrepreneur, teacher, poet laureate, master craftsman, Dad, Paw Paw, Sandy Johnson Jr., went home to be with the Lord and his bride Sedalia on August 4, 2023.

Born on February 26, 1926, in the small town of Gilliam, Louisiana, to Sandy Johnson Sr. & Francis (Fanny) Johnson. After his mother passed away at a young age, Sandy and his siblings—Sidney, Sarah, and Jasper—lived with various relatives until he made his way to Linden, Texas.

Later he made his way to Atlanta, Texas, where he met the love of his life, the former Sedalia Hunter. Sandy and Sedalia met at a factory, and he wooed her by buying her a soda for a nickel ($0.05) every day. The courtship led to the birth of their first child, Arthur Willard.

Because Sandy was a hard-working man, Sandy and Sedalia’s relationship was put on hold so he could voluntarily enlist in the United States Navy to serve in World War II shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Sandy was so committed to providing for his young family that he “creatively adjusted” his date of birth to serve in the Navy. Sandy was proud to be a Navy man. He often told stories of his travels across the equator and military tours across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. While serving in the Navy, he wrote his beloved Sedalia and said he didn’t think he would survive the war and told her to marry someone else. With God’s protection, Sandy did survive the war, was honorably discharged on January 9, 1946, and then returned to Atlanta and welcomed LaRoy as his second son.

In the 1940s, Sandy moved to Austin, Texas, to find work and continue to provide for his family. Shortly thereafter, his sweetheart Sedalia joined him, and they became husband and wife married on November 17, 1946. The next year they were blessed with their first daughter Dorothy Nell and two years later, their youngest son James Richard. Their youngest daughter, Mary Ann, transitioned shortly after her birth.

With only a third-grade education, Sandy became a CEO and entrepreneur and started his own janitorial and cleaning and waxing floor business. He was known as the go-to “floor man” in the City of Austin. He was blessed to have clients such as Michael Dell and other well-to-do families who trusted Sandy to restore and make their floors look brand new.

When Sandy was not working, serving as an usher and trustee at his church David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, or spending time with his family, children, and grandchildren, you would find him cutting his lawn, building furniture, picture frames, or something with his hands. And when the weather turned cold, he would join his “hunting buddies” to go to the “Hill Country” to hunt for deer with his 30-06 rifle.  When the weather was warm, he would take his 12-gauge shotgun and hunt for quail in the Fall season. Sandy was an avid hunt-sportsman. He and his friends—Willard Lee, James Howard, and his son James Richard, would faithfully hunt and bond as men. We often thought it was because he loved to hunt, but sometimes it was to escape from his beloved, yet bossy, Sedalia.

Sandy and Sedalia were inseparable. They worked together, paid bills together, and often traveled to various places, including Honolulu, Hawaii, Jamaica, the Caribbean, Canada, the Grand Canyon, California, and so many other places. While they were blessed with their own children, they also welcomed and helped raise their grandchildren—LaMetrica “Tina,” LaRoy, Jr., Tarrant “Terry,” and Kevin—in their home.

When you saw Sandy or Sedalia, you saw the other. They were married for 73 years and were the longest-married couple in their family. Everyone looked up to them. They modeled what marriage should and could be if you trust in God and stay committed “until death do us part.”

Sandy will be missed for many things. He loved to laugh, joke, eat sweets, shine his shoes (faithfully every Saturday before church), and be with his family. He taught us the importance of being a man, husband, father, and provider for your family. He taught us, even with a third-grade education, how to be a CEO and entrepreneur. He taught us the value of being humble. You often heard him say, “I never saw a bird that flew so high that didn’t have to come down to get a drink of water.” Yes, Sandy taught us that “Your reputation travels ahead of you.”

Our entire family was blessed to have our father, Paw Paw, uncle, and friend for 97 years. We now rejoice that Sandy and Sedalia are now reunited. Sandy was preceded in death by his wife Sedalia and sons Arthur Willard and James Richard. He is survived by his devoted son LaRoy (Lois) and daughter Dorothy Nell, and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-children, and family and friends.

Humbly Submitted

The Family