Garland "Butch" Johnson

Garland James “Butch” Johnson, 66, of Evansville, Indiana, passed away Thursday, October 31, 2024, at his home.

He was born on January 29, 1958, in Evansville, Indiana, to James “Skeets” Johnson and Mary Frances Johnson Brummell.

Through the years, he lived in Tennessee, Florida, Rhode Island, and Indiana as his stepfather, Clarence Brummell, was in the Navy. He graduated in 1975 from Northrop High School in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. After high school, he worked for the Indiana State Hospital in Ft. Wayne. He later returned to Evansville, where he began working as a member of the Evansville Housing Authority Maintenance team and joined the IBEW Local Union 16.

 In his younger years, he was part of a van club in the eighties. They’d ride up and down Lincoln Avenue—when it was the hangout spot—or park on top of Carver Hill and just hang out. They would also caravan to different cities to show off the unique paint jobs on their vans. He later moved from van driving to motorcycle riding.

He was a proud member of Evansville Lodge #5, St. John’s Consistory #54, and Cawthar Temple #118.

Butch was always willing to lend a hand or give a ride to anyone, no matter how near or far. If you needed him, he’d be there for his family and friends. He would say, “Let’s,” and his mother would say, “go!” They traveled many miles up and down the highways visiting family and friends. You just never knew where they’d be, with his nieces, Monique and KeShay, along for the ride. In later years, his road-dogs were his cousins, Mercedes and Sheila. He was always one to keep in touch with everyone. He just enjoyed driving. So much so that he volunteered to drive the church van many a Sunday for (the former) St. John Catholic Church on Bellemeade Avenue. He also was a driver for the NIA dancers and the C. K. Newsome Youth Choir, driving them to performances over the years.

His years of volunteering, along with his job, gave him the opportunity to make so many friends, both young and old, who he loved to not only visit in person, but tried to keep up with on Facebook, by phone, and through texts. He lovingly ended his Facebook posts and texts with Uncle Butchie, even though we explained to him many times that he was not everyone’s uncle, and they could tell who’d posted or sent the text, so no signature was required.

He will forever be remembered for his woodworking, the love of his dog, being a people-person, a talker (he loved to tell a story), and his beloved fishing. He spent many days out on the water doing what he loved most, and was always willing to take anyone that expressed an interest along with him.

 In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his stepfather, Clarence Brummell and sister, Cheryl Collins. Butch is survived by one son, Joshua; siblings, Kenneth “Ken” Walker (Glender), Sherris Johnson, Torey Suggs (Donald), and Aundria Brummell; nieces, Monique Landry (El), Angela Bey (Sharif), and KeShay Jones (DeMareo); nephews, DeRon Porter, Keland Brummell-Bradshaw, Devin Suggs, and Miles Suggs; great-nieces, DeAuna and DaMya Jones, and Assata Bey; great-nephews, Sharif “Shaba” and Siraj “Raji” Bey; and one great-great-nephew, Saladine Bey; as well as many, many more cousins and friends across the United States.