Billie Ray Johns

October 7, 1930 - September 7, 2013

Billie Ray Johns, age 82, owner of Sunset Valley Ranch in the McCains community in Culleoka, died unexpectedly on Saturday, September 7, 2013.

A celebration of his life will be held on Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 1:00 PM in the chapel of Heritage Funeral Home with Rev. Dustin Laster and family and friends officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens. Visitation with the family will be on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM. Heritage Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

He was a co-founder and member of the advisory board of Heritage Bank and a retired director emeritus. He was a charter member of Faith Baptist Church of Cross Bridges and a charter member of West End Baptist Church of Columbia. He previously owned Johnsville Trailer Park and Motor Inns of America, and built five Motels from Tennessee to Florida which were the first modular constructed units to pass southern building codes in Florida. Mr. Johns was a long time farmer, cattle farmer, and operated an excavation company. In 1976, he and his wife, Janis, started Johns Backhoe Service and where later joined by their son Larry Thomas Johns. Sam, Scott and Johnny also worked in the business.

He was born on October 7, 1930 in a log house on a hill in Cross Bridges to Porter B. Johns, Sr. and Janie Lynn Johns, and was the sixth born of nine children. He and his wife Janis Glore Doto were married December 3, 1976, and in 37 years never spent a night apart and were devoted to each other. He and Janis raised her two sons, Samuel M. Doto and Jeramey Scott (Yvonne) Doto. He and his first wife, Beth Johns, have five children, Melba (John) Rogers, Danny (Debbie) Johns, Mary Joyce Johns, Larry Thomas (Cindy) Johns, Johnny Porter (Doris) Johns.

Mr. Johns was educated in the Maury County school system, attending Cross Bridges School and Hampshire School and furthered his education through the Continuing Education program at Columbia State College.

Billie and Janis traveled extensively in America and Europe, and visited their sons, Johnny, who was stationed in Crailsheim, Germany and Fort Sill, OK, Sam at Ft Hood, Texas and Fort Lee, Virginia, and Larry at Fort Sill, OK. Billie also enjoyed hunting and fishing with his sons.

In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by three sisters, Evelyn Dooley, Frankie Bostick and Linda (Norman) Orton, mother-in-law, Winfred Mary (Jan) Glore, two sisters-in-law, Pam Reese and Patty Glore, and numerous nieces and nephews and their extended families.

Mr. Johns is also survived by eleven grandchildren, Melanie (Richard) Hickman, Michelle Johns (Cory) Epps, Mark (Katie) Rogers, Daniel (Amber) Johns, Adam Johns, Jason (Jennifer) Johns, Ben (Caley) Johns, Sara Beth Johns, Aimee Elizabeth Doto, Steven Scott Doto, and Allie Rae Leonard. Also, eight great grandchildren, Bryan (Amanda) Hickman, David Hickman, Rachel Hickman, Jackson Johns, Jonah Johns, Harper Jane Epps, Easton Johns, and Chloe Moore, and two great-great-grandchildren, Hayden Hickman, and Emma Hickman.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Porter B. Johns, Sr. and Janie Lynn Johns, sisters, Mary Edith Kelly, Gertrude Nash, Nina Severson, brothers, Mahlon Johns, Porter Johns, Jr., father-in-law, Master Sergeant Donald M. Glore, and brother-in-law, Raymond Scott Glore.

Pallbearers are Mark Rogers, Adam Johns, Jason Johns, Benjamin Johns, Richard Hickman, Bryan Hickman, David Hickman, Steven Doto, and Nelson Rainey.

Honorary pallbearers are grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

The family expresses thanks to special friends, Keith Baker, Frank Cole, Sharon Cole, Ashley and Paulette Brown, and Will, Rose, and Nelson Rainey.

The family asks that memorials be made to Cindy Baker Scholarship, Columbia State Community College Foundation, 1165 Hampshire Pike, Columbia, TN 38401, Hampshire Baptist Church, P.O Box 35, Hampshire, TN 38461, Easton Johns Benefit c/o Kathy’s Restaurant 702 Hatcher Lane Columbia, TN 38401.

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