Obituary of Jerry Wayne Johnson

JERRY W JOHNSON 9/16/1944 TO 8/2/2022 MORGANTOWN NATIVE, BELOVED BROTHER, HUSBAND, FATHER, AND KNOWN BY OTHER NAMES TO MANY OTHERS. A CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE WILL BE HELD AUGUST 13, 2022, AT HASTINGS FUNERAL HOME BETWEEN 2PM TO 4PM. A SERVICE WITH REV. JIM WEBBER WILL BEGIN AT 4PM. JERRY WAS PROCEEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS, DOUGLAS O. JOHNSON(NEPHEW), AND RUFUS “SONNY” ARTHUR MCGILL, II, (GRANDSON). SURVINING FAMILY MEMBERS INCLUDE: SUSAN MORRISON JOHNSON, LOVING AND DEVOTED WIFE OF 55 YEARS, 2 DAUGHTERS: CHERIE JOHNSON-BARRY (PATRICK), JERRI RENE MORFA (JORGE-FELIX). GRANDCHILDREN: DEVON JOHNSON, MCKENZIE MCGILL (ALYSSA) AND ANISSA-ROSA MORFA. GREAT GRANDCHILDREN: ALI SURBROOK AND CARTER JOHNSON. HIS BROTHER: CLYDE JOHNSON (CHARLOTTE), AS WELL AS BROTHERS-IN-LAW, NIECES, NEPHEWS, COUSINS, AND NUMEROUS FRIENDS HE CONSIDERED FAMILY! JERRY HAD AN ILLUSTRIOUS FOOTBALL CAREER SUCH AS HE WAS HONORED AS CLASS AAA ALL STATE AND ALL-AMERICAN FOOTBALL PLAYER. STARTING AT MORGANTOWN HIGH SCHOOL AND ENTERING THE HALL OF FAME THERE IN 2017. HE EARNED A 4 YEAR SCHOLARSHIP TO WVU BUT WAS RECRUITED BY OHIO STATE, ARMY, NAVY AND PENN STATE, HE FOLLOWED HIS HEART AND CONTINUED ON TO PLAY AT WVU. JERRY OBTAINED HIS MASTERS DEGREE IN MINE SAFETY AND HAS DEVOTED MORE THAN 40 YEARS IN MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH TRAINING, HE WAS KNOWN UP AND DOWN THE EASTERN HALF OF THE US FOR HIS WONDERFUL MINE RESCUE CONTESTS. HE WORKED AT BETHLEHEM MINES, THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATIONS AS A SPECIAL INVESTIGATIOR, AND WITH THE WV STATE BUREAU OF MINES UNTIL RETIREMENT IN 2019. IN LEIU OF FLOWERS THE FAMILY IS ASKING DONATIONS BE MADE IN HIS NAME TO MHS ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME.