James Michael Johnson

James Michael Johnson (1956-2023)

James "Michael" Johnson was born in Northampton, MA to Richard and Shirley Johnson. He was raised in the Catholic faith and was a passionate follower of Jesus Christ. His life on earth ended this past Wednesday morning November 8, 2023 at his home in Decatur, GA after a valiant struggle to survive esophageal cancer.

Michael never met a stranger, only friends he had not been introduced to yet. He had an amazing ability to connect with people and he invested his life in his family and friends in extraordinary ways. The third in line of 7 siblings Michael was the one everyone wanted to see at gatherings. There he would regale those present with the humorous stories from our lives together as only he could.

He graduated from Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville, GA in 1974 and entered service in the U.S. Army. After his service, he began a 40+ year career in the food industry at Morrisons Healthcare where he served as the Director of Food Services at several large healthcare systems in the southeast including stints at Grady Memorial, Dekalb Medical Center, Candler St. Josephs, and Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. Michael derived great satisfaction from leading teams and meeting the needs of the patients they served.

Michael loved fishing, hunting, cooking, entertaining, digging in the dirt, Georgia football, and anything that would give him the opportunity to be with friends. But his family was without a doubt the most important thing in his life and he lived sacrificially for them even when struggling in his own life. He is survived by his beloved husband, "the other Michael" Azar, who he married in 2019, and his three children and their spouses: Nicholas Johnson (Jennifer), Lauren Books (Brian), and Jarrod Johnson (Kellye). Michael also was blessed to have been "Gramps" to Lucas Books, Baker Johnson, Graham Johnson and Johnathan Hernandez. He is preceded in death by his sister Marie and his father, Richard Michael Johnson.

While Michael will no longer be present with us here on earth, we will never forget his indomitable spirit and he will live on with God and in the hearts of everyone who knew him. To know him was indeed to love him.

The family would like everyone to know that visitation will be Sunday, November 12th, from noon until 2 PM at A. S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home at 2773 N Decatur Rd, Decatur, GA 30033 followed by a memorial mass and celebration of life to be held at 3 PM at The Shrine of the Immaculate Conception at 48 Martin Luther King Drive, S.W. Atlanta, GA 30303.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to St. Jude Children's Hospital and/or Martin Clinic Healing House. The donation should be made in Michael's name.