Sollie Benny Johnson

Sollie Benny Johnson of Haskell, Texas passed away Sunday evening, May 12, 2013 at Haskell Memorial Hospital in Haskell. Mr. Johnson was 98. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at Willow Cemetery in Haskell with Rev. Tony Grand officiating. Arrangements were made under the direction of Smith Family Funeral Homes.

One of nine children, Sollie was born in East Texas on August 5, 1914 to Tommy and Etta (Scott) Johnson. He married Whitney Marie Turnbow on July 29, 1932 in Haskell and soon moved to Dallas where Sollie's first job was delivering milk to homes by horse drawn buggy. Sollie served in the United States Navy from 1942 through 1945. After his discharge, Sollie did other odd jobs prior to his career with Dallas Power & Light Company where he was a trouble shooter driving emergency vehicles. Whitney worked 30 years for the Dallas County Tax Office. After 39 years of service, Sollie retired in 1976. The couple moved to Haskell in 1998 where Sollie served faithfully as a Deacon at the First Presbyterian Church as well as other positions in the church where his devotion was needed. After 67 years of marriage, Whitney passed away in February of 2000.

Sollie is also preceded in death by his parents, Tommy and Etta Johnson; 5 brothers, Johnny Johnson, Justin Johnson, Oswald Johnson, Warren Johnson and T.A. Johnson; 3 sisters, Myrnie Sanders, Faye Bryan, and Letha Holloway who passed 3 days after her 100th birthday.

Survivors are his sister-in-law Vickie Dean of Haskell, Texas and niece, Lois Norman of Dallas, Texas.