Johnny Wayne Wortham

Professor Johnny Wayne Wortham, departed this life on Sept. 26, 2016. A native of Jackson, Tenn., Johnny was born on April 4, 1947, to Johnny and Bernice Wortham. A graduate of Merry High School in 1965, Johnny entered Union University and later joined the United States Air Force, where he served until 1970 as an Aircraft Radio Technician with the rank of Staff Sergeant. His tour of duties included Bien Hoa, Vietnam and the Philippines. While serving in Bien Hoa, Vietnam he continued his studies as a correspondence student at the University Of Maryland and Cleveland Institute of Electronics, from which he earned certificates in Electronics Technology. Following his military service, Johnny attended Memphis State University, where he earned a B.S. degree in Electronics Technology (1972), M.S. in Technical Education (1973) and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering (1974). Johnny is the author of laboratory manuals on digital circuits and microcomputer systems used by the Computer Engineering Technology Department at State Technical Institute and at other technical institutes around the country. He retired after 35 1/2 years, as a Professor of Electronics Technology from Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, Tenn. In 1989 Johnny founded SherTek Incorporated, a computer engineering company that produced OMNI-VOTE, a wireless voting system. His patented design was awarded contracts for 129 machines from National Institutes of Health's Division of Research Grants in Bethesda, Md. He developed computer software for the Memphis City Council that helped to streamline the voting process. He received the Air Force Commendation Medal and was a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America (Chapter 203.) He was a member of the Tennessee Education Association; and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He is listed in the 1977 Outstanding Young Men of America. He is survived by his loving and devoted family, his wife of 42 years, Sherry Ann (Fuller) Wortham; daughters, Angela Bernice Collins (John), of Fort Wayne, Ind., April Christine Morris (Jamal), of Chattanooga, and Amanda Kathleen Wortham, of Asheboro, N.C.; five grandchildren, Kayla and Kristine Morris, Nicholas, Isabella, and Gabriella Collins; four sisters Dr. Anne Wortham. of Normal, Ill., and Rev. Patricia Smith (Johnny), of Florence, Ala., Wonderful Wortham, of Memphis, Tenn., and Praise Wortham, of Durham, N.C.; sister in law, Crystal Fields (Tim and Kevin Fields), of Memphis, Tenn.; and four brothers Commander Willie Wortham, U.S. Navy (Lois) of Providence, R.I., Walter Wortham (Clarice) of Fairfield, Alabama, Lamont Wortham (Valerie), of Indianapolis, Ind., and Thank Wortham, of Jackson, Tenn., and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. Funeral services will be Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016, at Noon at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, with Minister Jamal Morris delivering the eulogy. The family will receive friends on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, from 5 to 7 p.m., at M.D. Dotson & Sons Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cleveland, Tenn. Interment will military honors will be held Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016, at 10 a.m., at West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, in Memphis, Tenn. Words of comfort may be submitted at www.dotsonfh.com