James "Murray" Johnson

James “Murray” Johnson, 86, passed away peacefully into the presence of his Savior, on June 30, 2012, in Raleigh NC. He was born in Bladen Co., NC, beloved son of the late Benjamin Franklin Johnson and Mary Ann “Mamie” Kinlaw Johnson.

Murray graduated from Bladenboro High School, and was chosen Most Athletic, Most Likely to Succeed and Most Handsome by his classmates. He was a Nuclear Engineer with CP&L for 36 years before retiring and was highly respected and appreciated for his wisdom and knowledge. He was a member of Forest Hills Baptist Church, and was a great example of a Christian man, who impacted the lives and touched the hearts of all who knew him. He was a master of carpentry, masonry and furniture building and a perfectionist with the highest standard of work ethics. He was quiet and humble in nature, but could always tell a funny story or joke. He was a sports enthusiast and lover of NC State University sports. He was an excellent athlete, musician –playing piano and guitar and could sing, and also loved fishing more than any other hobby. He was referred to as the King Flounder Man at the Cherry Grove Sea Cabins.

He will be lovingly remembered and always “in love with” his dear wife of 64 years, Lillian Johnson. He is survived by his sister, Catherine Suggs; his children, Brenda Balcome and husband Dan, James Johnson, Jr., Pam Johnson, and Phillip Johnson and wife Carol; his grandchildren, Shay Robbins and husband Gregory, Robbie Payne and wife Katerina, Natalie VanHook and husband Chuck, Madison Massouras, Tyler and Jessica Johnson; and his great grandchildren, Bradley, Peyton, and Brooke Robbins, Jack VanHook, Luvis, Sinai and Sebastian Payne.

He will also be missed by his step-grandchildren, Amy Hill and husband Matt, Dayna Grayson and husband Peter and Jonathan Balcome; and step great grandchildren, Burns and Grant Hill and Riley and Nina Grayson.

Murray was predeceased by his parents; his sisters, Rose Vaught, Mary Lois White, and Evelyn Butler and by his brothers, Benjamin and Charles Johnson.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 7, at the Chapel of Mitchell Funeral Home, 7209 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh NC. The family will receive friends and family prior to the service from 10:00-11:00 am at the funeral home. Graveside services will be at Raleigh Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Jimmy V Foundation at: www.jimmyv.org in memory of James Murray Johnson.

Condolences and special memories can be shared at www.MitchellatRMP.com.

Notes from Brenda:

Dad was a sports enthusiast and lover of NC State sports. He also excelled in all sports when he was in high school…..he was chosen Most Athletic, Most Likely To Succeed, and Most Handsome among many other accolades by his classmates

He was a musician….played piano, guitar and could sing.

He loved fishing more than any other hobby. He was referred to as the King Flounder Man at Cherry Grove Sea Cabins.

He was a masonry, carpenter, and furniture builder and helped build a few of our homes. He paid contractors to do work in our homes as they were being built, and then had to rip it out and redo it because it didn’t meet his standard, but didn’t tell them that for fear of hurting their feelings.

He wired our home in Hartsville, and one night when we had a prowler, the police officer asked who had wired the home, because there was enough wiring for a hotel. On Myron Drive, we never could figure out his complicated system.

One time, when I was very young, we were in our first new home, and I remember I was sitting in the living room when we had a visitor and Dad was in the attic…he fell through the ceiling and landed in the middle of the floor, he looked up at us and said, Hi, I’m Murray.

He was a Nuclear Engineer. All that knew him respected and loved him. I have heard so many stories from his friends and co-workers about the impact he had in their lives. So many of them have shared that they learned so much about their jobs and life lessons from him, and how much they respected this kind, gentle, loving man that truly demonstrated unconditional love for all he met.

His family all knew he loved them, and he knew how much we loved him. He was the glue that held us all together….he was the words of wisdom, he demonstrated to us all how to be strong, patient, loving and understanding. Just being in the room with him without saying a word was some of my personal favorite times. All I needed was a glance and a kind smile from him to brighten my day. His piercing blue eyes had such a Christ Like glow that would immediately let me know that whatever my burdens were, it was going to be alright. He had such a calming effect over me. He was my soft place to fall.

In the last few days and weeks, I spent many hours alone with him in the hospital trying to make him feel comforted and loved in his last hours. He shared his love for his family with me, and in his on quiet way, I knew he was trying to let me know that everything was going to be alright. He has been called a Miracle Man, a Warrior, and Lazarus by doctors, nurses, family and friends……just his way of still teaching us that life is precious and worth fighting for. Well Dad, you are now with our Lord in his Loving Arms, and I bet you are already playing that piano for the choir in heaven. Well, I guess he needed one more angel to help pour out the rain, and we will all be missing you here, but I know there is a reunion with your family and friends that went before you, and they are so happy to have you with them.

We all love you, and we know that you will always be around us guiding us and speaking to us in your own quiet way. Your example as a Christian man has forever impacted our lives and touched our hearts.

Your sense of humor, right up until the last hours of your life on earth, will greatly be missed, but you have left us with so many stories to share. We’re all still on vacation Dad, but we’ll see you when we get home Your children are some of the luckiest in the world, to be able to call you Our Father!!!