Birth date: Jul 30, 1950 Death date: Jan 9, 2026
James Elijah Johnson, age 75, was born on July 30, 1950, to James and Stella Johnson. He was welcomed home on January 9, 2026. James was a proud graduate of David H. Hickman High School, Class of 1968, where he also played footba Read Obituary
Precious Memories
Rosie, Bonnie, Kim
Wish to offer my condolences to Mrs.Kathy Sims and family for their loss. May God give them comfort and peace during this time.
"Back when segregation ruled—no shared playgrounds, no equal access—me and Butch integrated the Daniel Boone Little League. We stepped onto that field in Columbia, becoming part of the league that started in 1959, playing alongside kids who hadn't shared space with us before. It was more than baseball; it was breaking barriers, one inning at a time, with heart and hustle."
"Back in those days, segregation was the hard rule—we weren't even allowed to play on the same playgrounds as white children. But me and Butch found our place through the Junior Laymen program at church. Troy Bradford and Rev. Piggy stepped up big time: they got a field mowed, marked the lines with chalk, and organized real football games for us against teams from Mexico, Fulton, and Wellsville. That makeshift field became our turf, our brotherhood, and a way to turn exclusion into something proud and strong."
"I still remember that unforgettable baptism Sunday so clearly. Ronnie, Billy, and Larry Guthrie went down into the water together, and then me and Butch followed right after—we were all baptized in the same beautiful service. Little Kathy was just a baby at the time when Butch was baptized we knew mom would probably be overcome with joy, so the held my baby sister until we were all baptized. What a joyful, faith-packed family day that was!"
"My brother married a stunning debutante, the kind who glides in like she stepped straight out of a cotillion ball. That day? I was struttin'—pure pride, no apologies."
