Ralph Johnson

Ralph Anthony Johnson, 76, entered eternal life on Tuesday, March 2, 2010. He was born September 30, 1933 in Fort Valley, Georgia – one of five sons of the late Elmer and Emmie Causey Johnson. He was a graduate of Fort Valley High School in Fort Valley, Georgia, class of 1950. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management in 1955 from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. He earned an M.B.A in 1965 from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. Upon graduating from Georgia Tech, Ralph entered the U.S. Army in 1955 as a commissioned officer - first lieutenant and was honorably discharged in 1965. At Georgia Tech, he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity. He married Gloria M. Czechowicz in Schenectady, New York in 1959 and celebrated 51 years of marriage this past January. The couple has resided at 2374 Grant Place, Villa Rica, Georgia for the past six years. Ralph had a very long and prosperous career that took him to assignments around the world. Upon his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army, Ralph entered the prestigious General Electric Company (GE) executive training program and worked in several executive positions over his 28-year career with the company – including Managing Consultant on GE’s Corporate Consulting staff and Plant Manager in Charleston, South Carolina and in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He also held GE executive assignments in Cincinnati, Ohio, Utica, New York, Dover, New Hampshire, Bridgeport, Connecticut and Fort Wayne, Indiana. He left General Electric to become Executive Vice President of Manufacturing at Phelps Dodge, Inc. in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Ralph pursued his entrepreneurial spirit in the early 1990s and become the Owner of the Kendallville Castings foundry in Kendallville, Indiana. He later returned to corporate management, working in Global Sourcing for Eaton Corporation – where he travelled to India, South Korea, China and Mexico to identify sourcing solutions. Ralph was an active member of the Catholic Church, and served as a catechist, lector and Eucharistic minister. Ralph was well known for his unwavering positive attitude and his love of helping others, which was relfected in his commitment to community service. He has been an avid contributor to the Kiwanis Club of Fairfield Plantation in Villa Rica, Georiga. He was initiated into the club in 2005, served as Vice President and President-Elect during his first years with the club and served as club President in 2007-2008. He also loved his time spent mentoring students at the Sand Hill School in Villa Rica, Georgia. Ralph is survived by his wife, Gloria, and four brothers – Ken Johnson of Walnut Creek, California and Elmer Johnson, Calvin Johnson and Edwin Johnson – all of Villa Rica, Georgia. Ralph is also survived by his children – Ralph and Julie, Jr. of Novi, Michigan, Pam Huff of Alpharetta, Georgia and Michael Gover and Paige Johnson of Dallas, Texas, and three grandchildren also survive. The Liturgy of Christian Death and Burial will be at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 210 Old Center Point Road, Carrollton, Georgia 30117-6827 on Friday, March 5, 2010 – followed by a reception in the Church hall. Those desiring to do so may make contributions to the Our Lady of Perpetual Help or Fairfield Kawinis. Messages of condolence to the family may be sent from www.jones-wynn.com. Jones-Wynn Funeral Home of Villa Rica in charge of arrangements. 770-459-3694