Joe Dean Johns

View Video Tribute Joe Dean Johns, 81, retired patrol officer for the Columbia Police Department with 31 years service, died May 1, 2013 at Life Care of Columbia. Funeral services will be conducted Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols with Terry Peery officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens with full honors at graveside provided by the City of Columbia Police Honor Guard. The family will visit with friends Saturday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Notes of condolence may be extended at oakesandnichols.com. The Giles County native was the son of the late Mitchell Johns and Geneva Thurman Johns. He served in the U. S. Army from 1953 to 1955, stationed in Germany. After retiring from the Columbia Police Department, he worked with Mid-State Distributing Company and Fred Sanders Trucking Company. Mr. Johns was a graduate of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, and member of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19 and James K. Polk Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police. Survivors include his wife, Donna Fraser Johns, whom he married February 11, 1971; son, Michael Joe (Alice) Johns of Columbia; grandchildren, Ella Claire Johns, Judith Lynnlee Johns, and Tad (Tracy) Hickman, all of Columbia; great-grandchildren, Chase Hickman and Ashton Hickman of Columbia; sister-in-law, Elizabeth "Lib" Lyons of Memphis; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Vicki Lynn Johns Hickman and brother and sister-in-law, William and Wilma Johns. Active pallbearers are William "Billy) Brown, II, William Randall "Randy" Brown, Sohn Christopher Lyons, Mitchell Lynn Johns, Daniel Johns, Greg Johns, and Harold Holt. Honorary pallbearers include Ailene and R. T. Wright, Peggy Huff, Louise Holt, Faye Hartsfield, Dr. and Mrs. Taylor Rayburn and family, special caretaker, Shelby Brown, Reba Honeycutt, Elaine Hood, Nancy and Amy Hooks, Sheriff Enoch George, staff of Life Care Center, members of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19 and current and retired officers of Columbia Police Department.