Jack R. Johnson

Jack R. Johnson, 83, of Chester, Virginia, went home to be with the Lord on November 21, 2025. Born in Coldwater, Michigan, Jack lived a full and generous life marked by humor and an unwavering devotion to the people he loved.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Edith Johnson; his mother, Dorothy Mears; his father, Raymond Johnson; his stepfather, Gil Mears; his brothers, Larry, Terry, and Jerry Johnson; and his sister, Sheran Brigham. He is survived by his sister, Betsy Wrench (Will); along with many nieces and nephews; his daughter, Sandi Steelman (William); his son, Joseph Johnson (Rebecca); his grandchildren, Hannah Shephard (Zack), Holly Steelman, Samuel Steelman (Camryn), and Jeremy Steelman; and his great-granddaughter, Wren Edith Shephard - each carrying pieces of Jack's spirit, his humor, and his heart.

Jack served briefly with the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division. His days as a paratrooper jumping out of airplanes were the source of many of the stories he recounted to anyone who would listen. Later, he built a career that took him from selling life insurance to dispatching help for an alarm company. But the true work of his life was never tied to a title: It was found in the people he met, the friendships he formed, and the laughter he brought into ordinary days. With Jack, no one stayed a stranger for long. Everyone knew him, from the pharmacist and cashiers at Food Lion, to the waitstaff at Shoney's and Rosa's Pizza, to the people who cut his hair, to all his friends at The Crossings.

A natural jokester with a quick smile, Jack filled every room with lightheartedness. He enjoyed golfing, the Redskins, peanut butter sandwiches, and people-watching. He loved to announce the comings and goings of each person he saw, becoming an unofficial greeter at The Crossings.

For nearly four decades, Jack was a member of Enon Baptist Church, finding community, comfort, and purpose among his church family. He served as a deacon for several years and on many different committees, wherever he was needed. He especially enjoyed helping with the kids in Awanas, listening as they memorized their verses and leading them closer to a relationship with Jesus.

Most of all, he treasured every moment spent with his family. A devoted husband for more than 50 years, Jack loved his wife deeply, and they built a home together grounded in love, faith, and laughter. As a father, he gave his children a rare and precious gift - the absolute certainty every single day that they were loved beyond measure. That certainty shaped them, protected them, and will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Jack found joy in simple, meaningful things. He found reasons to be thankful in difficult seasons, expressing his gratitude for the people in his life and the good life God had blessed him with. He was especially delighted to spend time with his grandchildren and his great-granddaughter - moments he held close and never took for granted. His grandchildren brought him a special kind of happiness, a light that everyone around him could see.

Though the world feels quieter without him, his laughter, his jokes, his gentle way of loving will echo in the memories shared, in the stories told to future generations, and in the quiet moments when his absence is felt most deeply.

His family rests in the promise that he is now in the presence of the Lord, whole and at peace, clapping his hands and whispering, "You're wonderful;" and that one day, they will see him again.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Enon Baptist Church in Chester, VA. The family will receive friends the day prior, on Friday, November 28, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Chester Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home.