Johnson, Benjamin
JOHNSON, Benjamin
Benjamin Lester Johnson, 86, of Marietta, Georgia, passed away January 10, 2022. He was born in 1935, in Warrenton, GA, to William Norman Johnson and Mauree Anderson Johnson and was a graduate of Warrenton High School, class of 1953. He attended Mercer University in Macon, GA, receiving his bachelor of arts degree in 1957. While at Mercer, he served as No. 1 of the Kappa Alpha Order and was a member of the Blue Key Honor Society.
After completing two years of law school at Mercer, Ben was called to active duty with the U.S. Army Reserve and served two years at Ft. Lee, VA, attaining the rank of first lieutenant. He continued to serve in the Army Reserve until 1978, when he retired with the rank of major.
In 1960 he returned to Georgia for his final year of law school and received his juris doctor from the University of Georgia Law School in 1961. Upon graduation he accepted a position with the Georgia State Law Department in the Office of the Attorney General, where he rose to the position of assistant attorney general.
In 1966 Ben joined the law firm of Mitchell, Clarke, Pate & Anderson in Atlanta and remained with the firm until 1988, when he opened his own law practice, Johnson and Houston, with a focus on real estate law. He retired from practicing law in 1994.
He was a past master of the Sandy Springs Masonic Lodge and a member of the Yaarab Shrine. He also served as president of the River Bend Gun Club in Dawsonville and as president of the Buckhead 50 Club. In 1996 he volunteered as a driver for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
During his college years at Mercer University Ben met his future wife, Joan LeCroy of Savannah, GA, whom he married in 1956.
Ben was predeceased by his parents and his infant sister, Faith. He is survived by his wife, Joan; his daughter, Carole W. Johnson, of Atlanta; his son Russell N. Johnson (Mark D. Hudson) of Chicago, IL; and his son Arthur B. Johnson (Donna D. Ashley) of Atlanta.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 19, 2022, in Moore Chapel at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta. A graveside service will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at Johnson Cemetery in Warrenton, GA. In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be sent to Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, 3180 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30305, or to Johnson Cemetery c/o Judy Johnson, 3312 Gibson Hwy, Warrenton, GA 30828.
