John F. Johnson

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 11, 2012

HARRISONBURG, La. — Services for John Frederick Johnson, 58, of Harrisonburg, La., who died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, after a lengthy battle with cancer, will be at 2 p.m. today at First Baptist Church in Harrisonburg with the Rev. Jon Lord, the Rev. Ralph Webber and the Rev. Bryan Taylor officiating.

Burial will follow at Harrisonburg Cemetery under the direction of Riser Funeral Home in Columbia, La.

Mr. Johnson was a graduate of Harrisonburg High School, Northwestern State University and Tulane University Law School. John served as district attorney for Catahoula and Concordia parishes for 24 years and was a popular political figure in the area. He was never opposed for re-election during his entire tenure as district attorney.

John was an avid outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman and was also an excellent marksman. He liked nothing better than deer hunting in the bottomlands along the Mississippi River.

He was preceded in death by his father, Billy Ray Johnson Sr.; one brother, Billy Ray Johnson Jr.; and grandparents, Ernest and Helen R. Johnson and Fred and Nell H. Korn.

Survivors include his wife, Myra Coleman Johnson; five children, Derek Johnson and wife, Kristen, of Lafayette, La., Kyle Johnson of Shreveport, La., Lance Bond and wife, Brandi, of Jena, La., Sarah Casey and husband, Nat, of New Orleans and Hallye Casey of San Antonio, Texas; his mother, Audrey K. Johnson; two brothers, George Johnson of Harrisonburg and James Johnson of Jackson; three grandchildren, Scarlett Johnson, Tanner and Tucker Bond; and a number of nephews and nieces.

Pallbearers will be Neil Johnson, Donny Korn, Ernie Reeves, Ronnie Book, Mike Ruddick and Ronald Book.

Honorary pallbearers will be Sen. Neil Riser, Luther Holloway, Judge Leo Boothe, Brad Burget, Johnny Loomis, Bill McHale, Richard “Doll” Hatten and Paul Scott.