Gary Dale Johnson, 69, passed away on July 27, 2023 at TJ Samson Memorial Hospital. He was born on May 26, 1954 in Tompkinsville, KY to the late C.B. “Tuck” and Sue Johnson. He was a 1972 graduate of Tompkinsville High School and he received an associate degree in agriculture mechanization from Western Kentucky University in 1975. He worked for Production Credit Association, managing the equipment leasing division headquarters in Tompkinsville, then worked for more than 20 years at General Electric and AO Smith in Scottsville.
Gary was a wheeler and dealer with a quick wit and mischievous smile. He had a great love for cars, trucks, and boats. He also operated his own small business, Mid-South Auto Brokers, in Fountain Run, KY, for many years. He delighted in nothing more than finding salvage vehicles, fixing them up and selling them, or keeping them as prized possessions. He will be remembered fondly for finding special toys for his kids (or really for himself), like four-wheelers, scooters, dune-buggies, jet skis, motor bikes and a white Camaro for a 16 th birthday present. In his younger days, he was an award-winning drag racing participant with a beloved 1969 Rally Sport Camaro and later won numerous truck pull competitions with his favorite four-wheel drive trucks. He also loved water sports, teaching both his kids to ski on Barren River Lake, and enjoyed raising cattle on his farm in Fountain Run, KY.
He is survived by his children, Andi Johnson, Lexington and Lee Douglas (Sarah) Johnson, Fountain Run; his siblings, Danny (Donna Sue) Johnson, Tompkinsville; Timmy (Tammy) Johnson, Tompkinsville; his grandchildren, Everett Lee Johnson and Noah Anthony Johnson, his nieces, Stacey Simmons (Mark), Scottsville; Nikki King (Wesley), Tompkinsville; Kala Holland (Kaleb), Tompkinsville; Kelsey Johnson, Tompkinsville; and nephew Kole Johnson, Tompkinsville; and great nieces Courtney Cornelius, Makayla Cornelius, Addison King, and Raelynn Short. He is also survived by his beloved Labrador Retriever, Maggie. He was a member of Fountain Run First Baptist Church.
Visitation will be at the Fountain Run Funeral Home on Sunday, July 30 from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Monday, July 31 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 am. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the Fountain Run Funeral Home followed by a private burial for family at Monroe County Memorial Lawn.
