A 2 PM memorial service will be held on Sunday, March 6 at the Congregational United Church of Christ, 400 W Radiance Drive, Greensboro, NC.
Johnny was born in Thomasville, NC on October 19, 1949 to Astor and Sylvia McGee. After a few years the family moved to Wilmington where Johnny spent most of his childhood and early adult years.
Johnny graduated from UNC-Wilmington and taught Spanish at the John T Hoggard High School for a few years before transferring to UNC-Chapel Hill to work on Masters and PhD graduate degrees in Spanish. As a part of his graduate work, he spent a year teaching in Seville, Spain. Upon completion of his academic education, Johnny taught at UNC-Greensboro, then later at High Point University. While at HPU Johnny was offered a position at Lucent Technologies as a project manager in their translations department. After completing his work at Lucent, he went back to his first love, teaching, and taught Spanish at Bennett College until his retirement.
One of Johnny’s proudest accomplishments was being a founding member of the Triad Health Project (THP) and working many volunteer hours to establish the client services portion of the organization. He was an integral member of the Cone Hospital AIDS team and outpatient clinic. Johnny did most of the client intake and management until the agency grew enough to hire staff. In 1993 his work was recognized by the Greensboro Human Relations Commission with a Human Services award. In later years he conducted men’s support groups for Spanish speaking clients of THP.
He served a term on the Board of Governors of the Human Rights Campaign as an avenue of expressing his concerns on issues of equality.
Johnny’s other major love was cooking. Many called him “Johnny Cheesecake” because of the hundreds of cheesecakes that he prepared for friends, fund raisers, and group events. He cooked many multi course meals for THP fundraisers, for friends and for Bruce’s staff. The number of triple chocolate cookies he created for his students at Bennett, various friends, church events numbered in the thousands. He was always concerned as to how he could help others.
After retirement Johnny shifted his attention to other projects including an extensive remodel of his home to prepare it for “aging in place”. He became a devoted fan of Downton Abbey, often discussing the show plots with his beloved cousin Betty Creed. He had joined and was active in the Congregational United Church of Christ. His most recent big project was to organize and pay for weeklong trips to Disney World for many members of his extended family. The big kid in Johnny always managed to bubble to the surface, as the pictures of him in his kilt at the Highland Games demonstrate. Johnny enjoyed traveling and his many adventures included riding a camel while in the Canary Islands, climbing several pyramids in the Yucatan and exploring small towns on the backroads of Spain.
Family was always very important to Johnny. Together with Bruce he was known to the nephews and nieces as “The Uncles” and tried to take part in their lives as much as possible, and to be available to support them in their many and various endeavors.
Johnny was preceded in death by his parents. Johnny is survived by his husband of 36 years, Bruce Thede; siblings Kathy (Leon) Turner, Phil (Charlie) McGee, and Janet McGee; nephews Philip (Kim) McGee, Hunter (Hannah) McGee, Chris Murray, David (Keri) Murray, Zachary (Lyndsy) Fitzgerald, Alex (Alison) Fitzgerald, and nieces Samantha McGee, Kristen (Josh) Blythe, and Rachel (Brittany) Edwards. He is also survived by great nephews and nieces; Lillianna Mae Hill, Bella McGee, Trace McGee, Emma Blythe, Enoch Blythe, Hope Blythe, Ella Fitzniak and Henry Fitzniak.
Memorial donations can be made to Triad Health Project, 801 Summit Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27405. Hanes-Lineberry N. Elm chapel is assisting the family and online condolences may be offered at www.haneslineberrfhnorthelm.com. Johnny's service can be viewed on either Hanes-Lineberry Face Book or United Congregational Church of Christ Greensboro Face Book.
