Emi Johnson Burton

She graduated from Jacksonville State University where she was blessed with lifelong friends and unforgettable memories.

Emi moved to Birmingham, Alabama in 1998 to pursue a career in marketing and advertising, working in radio where she met the love of her life and husband, Johnathon Burton. She spent the early years of her career gaining valuable experience before choosing to focus on raising her daughter, Madison - a role she embraced with passion and dedication. In 2009, she and Johnathon launched Burton Advertising, applying her expertise to help build a business grounded in integrity, creativity, and collaboration.

Her greatest joy was her family, but she also had a deep love for her community. An avid member of the Chelsea, Alabama community for 21 years, Emi generously volunteered her time and energy to numerous causes. She had an extraordinary gift for sensing the needs of those around her and instinctively finding ways to uplift and support them. Above all, Emi was a devoted friend, wife, daughter, sister, and aunt while setting the bar for what a mother is measured by living a life of love, service, and faith.

Emi is survived by her devoted husband of 25 years, Johnathon Burton; beloved daughter, Madison Burton; loving parents, Tommy and Debi Johnson; brother, Ben Johnson; nephew, Clayton Johnson; niece, Brooklyn Johnson; mother-in-law, Charlotte Burton Matthews; father-in-law, Bobby Matthews; sister-in-law, Amanda Martin; brother-in-law, Luke Martin; and niece, Cecilia Martin.

She was preceded in death by Thomas Ross Johnson, Jr., and her grandparents, Monette Barnwell, Rankin Barnwell, Pauline Johnson, and Clayton Johnson.

Friends and family are invited to celebrate Emi’s life at Church of the Highlands, Grants Mill campus, followed by a graveside service at Southern Heritage in Pelham on Wednesday, November 26, 2025:

● Visitation: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

● Service: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

● Graveside Service: 12:15 PM

In honor of Emi’s life and the love she shared, flowers or donations to the Arthritis Foundation are welcome.