John Harold "Sonny" Johnson, Jr., 83, of Memphis, Missouri, passed away October 26, 2016, at the Scotland County Hospital in Memphis.

He was born April 16, 1933, at home, south of the square in Memphis, Missouri, to John Harold and Muriel Agnes (Johnston) Johnson.

Sonny grew up in Memphis and attended school there. He also attended Kemper Military Academy before graduating from Memphis High School with the class of 1952.

He enlisted in the United States Army in 1953 at Kansas City, Missouri; serving in the Korean War and was discharged in 1956 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Following his military tour, he attended Central Methodist College, where he met his wife Gayle. After college, Sonny joined his parents in the family business which they had started in 1929, Pepsi-Cola Memphis Bottling Company, Inc. He worked there from 1958 until his retirement.

He married Gayle Jean Johnson on June 19, 1960, in St. Clair, Missouri and to this union three children were born. They celebrated 50 years of marriage before Gayle passed in 2011.

Sonny was a member of the Memphis United Methodist Church, the Memphis Masonic Lodge No. 16 A.F. & A.M., a lifetime member of the Vern Stone American Legion Post 219, the El Kadir Shrine Club in Kirksville, Missouri, the Ozark Mountain Collectors Club and the National Riflemen's Association. He was an active member of the Scotland County Boy Scouts as a young boy and continued to actively work with the scouting program for many years, achieving their highest ranking of honor, The Silver Beaver. He was a past member of the Scotland County Rotary Club and also served on the Scotland County R-1 School Board. Sonny tried to keep active in his community, sitting on many boards and helping where he could.

Over the years, Sonny enjoyed traveling and camping with his family and he had visited all 50 states. He enjoyed bowling, playing golf and was especially proud to claim a "hole-in-one" at the Timber Ridge Country Club, playing poker at Timber Ridge, deer hunting and trap shooting and was an avid collector of Pepsi memorabilia. He loved to tease and joke with everyone and was always wanting to get to know people and help them in any way he could. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Left to honor his memory is his son, Mike Johnson and his wife, Beth, of Memphis; his daughters: Lori AlJundi and her husband, Eyad, of Kirksville, Missouri and Dana Bondurant and her husband, Brent, of Memphis. Also surviving are nine grandchildren: Anna Talbert and her husband, Joe; Kayli and Betsy Johnson; Laith, Zane, and Evan AlJundi; Delayna Mahoney and her husband, Ryan; Brock and Madie Bondurant; other family and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Gayle.