Johnie Young

Johnie Ruth Thomas (nee) Young passes away peacefully in the hospital near her home Saturday May 25, 2019. Johnie was born Oct 20, 1940, to Archie T and Silas Dupree Young in Pocahontas, Selmer Co, Tenn. She attended Selmer High School where she played years of basketball and graduated with honors maintaining ‘A’ averages in all subjects for four years. Johnie was selected after graduation to be one of the participants in the Selmer Strawberry Festival. She worked at Sears in Memphis where she met her future husband Bobby Thomas, who was stationed at Millington Naval Air Station. Bobby was born in Jasper, Tenn. Johnie married Bobby on June 14, 1959 in Selmer. Shortly after they moved to naval stations in Argentina and Newfoundland, where son Victor was born. Later, in Lexington Park Md., their two sons Sean and Steve were born while Bobby participated in the Cuban Blockade. Johnie moved on with the family to naval stations in Puerto Rico, Memphis, and finally Norfolk where Bobby retired after 3 years on the USS America. They moved to Hixson where Johnie worked for several years at Belks and Dillard’s and eventually retired. Johnie learned to and loved making quilts for family and various friends. She was a member of The Church of Christ on Thrasher Pk, Middle Valley, Tenn. She was preceded in death by youngest son Sean K Thomas; parents Archie T Young and Silas D Young; brothers William F Young and Grady A Young; sisters Cora Lee Busby, Louise Kiestler, Minnie Fay Houston, Mona Janice Young and Vera Mae Boatman. She is survived by husband Bobby who she was due to have their 60th wedding anniversary next month. Also survived by sons Victor and Steven, brothers Archie Fred Young, Robert L Young, sisters Eva Jo Cox and Edith R Leadford. She is also survived by three grand children and two great grandchildren. Visitation will be held at Chattanooga Funeral Home North Chapel in Hixson from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday May 26th. Services will be 10 a.m. Monday May 27 in the funeral home chapel. Johnie will be interred at the Chattanooga National Cemetery on Bailey Ave at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday May 29, 2019. Any donations may be made to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital in her honor. Arrangements are under the care of the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, Tenn. Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com.