Graveside services for Mr. Columbus Johnson, Jr., 74, of Denmark, SC, will be held 1:00pm, Sunday, September 18, 2022, at Canaan United Methodist Church Cemetery, 5659 Slab Landing Road, Cope, SC, with interment to follow. Columbus Johnson, Jr was born March 10, 1948 to the late Columbus and Emma Mae Johnson. A graduate of Wilkinson High School, Columbus was a razor-sharp genius with a photographic memory with keen attention to detail. Forever young, Columbus maintained his youthful and timeless appearance mixed with a deep signature baritone bass that served as the model for his equally intoned nephews Christopher and Todd. Long before 24 hour sports networks, Columbus was a diehard NY Yankees fan, particularly the Reggie Jackson years of the 1970s and that cast of characters right up the road from his transplanted home in the Bronx, NY. Team roll call was no problem, Columbus memorized the names of every player as well as the details of their team positions and personal statistics. Mr. Johnson remembered the details of every World Series game played after 1959, including the names of which teams had opposed each other and various details of the winning and losing scores. Although slim and trim, Columbus was an athletic swimmer as a teenager that could put away a good snack for his sweet-tooth and affinity for Baby Ruth Candy bars or relaxing with his preferred spearmint chewing gum, to the bigger entrees with chicken, and all of the family dinners from the good ole days on Edisto Drive, River Park Towers in the Bronx, and back home to Orangeburg. Always on all of his siblings' minds, Columbus especially enjoyed attending SC State University football games with his beloved sister, Barbara and the Bulldog faithful. Game day was always a fall season treat with those two. Loving on Columbus was a team effort from Mama Johnson to Barbara, to Blance, to Debra and Theresa sending care from Memphis. The Johnson and Fox family would like to extend a special thank you to Mrs. Anne Rumph, Ms. Sebrina Collins, Ms. Wendy Truewell and the entire staff of Rumph's Residential Care for their impeccable and compassionate service in providing long term support of Columbus from day one. Mr. Johnson was preceded in death by his sisters, Dianne Johnson Nelson, Sandra Johnson, Barbara Johnson Fox, and his brothers in-law, Allan Bancroft Fox, and Fred Thorne. Mr. Johnson is survived by his three sisters: Mrs. Blanche J Thorne, Mrs. Theresa J Rice (Edwin) and Debra Johnson; one brother, Michael 'Randy" Johnson, two aunts, Mrs. Margaret A Jones (Eldon), Mrs. Betty Johnson (Carlez) nephews, Noah Matthews, Kevin (Brittany) Rice, Emory Kai Rice, , Eric Parsons, Sterling Johnson (Vanessa), Omari Fox, Christopher Fox, and Todd Fox (Shalonda) nieces Nakia Matthews (Byron), Reagan Rice and Caroline Jones and a host of loving extended family.

Mr. Johnson passed away Friday, September 9, 2022, at the Regional Medical Center, Orangeburg.

Visitation will be held Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Family and friends may call Simmons Funeral Home and Crematory of Orangeburg, SC.

Please adhere to all COVID-19 precautions and masks are required during visitation and funeral services.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.simmonsfuneralhome.com