The late EARNEST JOHNSON was born on November 3, 1942 in Oxford, Mississippi to the late Sterling and Gertrude Johnson. God lifted him from his earthly body and called him home on Friday, April 26, 2013. Earnest was of the Baptist faith and was baptized at an early age. He was joined in holy matrimony on November 18, 1963 to Ora Lee Caldwell. He attended Wheatley High School. Earnest served honorably in the U.S. Army where he earned the Purple Heart in a battle during the Vietnam war. He was a retired forklift operator with S.S. Kresge (K-Mart) in Ft. Wayne Indiana. After being honorably discharged from the United States Army, Earnest acquired a love of motorcycles, fishing, gardening, electronics and CB radios, where everyone knew his handle as "Lemon Peel". Earnest was lovingly known by family and close friends as "Tad". He was a man full of wisdom and was known for providing solutions for any situation. He was also considered the patriarch of the Johnson Family. Earnest's parents preceded him in death along with three brothers, Jesse Johnson, Marshall Johnson and Bob Johnson, and one sister, Mary Florence Hilliard. His loving memories are cherished by his step-mother, Rosie Johnson of Poplar Bluff, MO and his siblings, Raymond Johnson (Barbara) of Tempe, AZ; Edna Bounds, Clydell Crouch and Donald Johnson of Poplar Bluff, MO; Lillie Forte (George) of Kansas City, MO; Eddy Johnson of Cleveland, OH; Reba Johnson of Lexington, KY; Eunice Bingley (Ray) of Kansas City, MO; Beverly Delph (Tommy) of Cape Girardeau, MO; Terry Johnson (Carol) of Corning, AR; a special niece and nephew, Lotoqua Webb of Ft. Wayne, IN and Matthew Webb of Omaha, NE; and a host of other nieces and nephews.