Terri Lynn (Taylor) Johnson

Wise County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Terri Lynn Johnson, 40, died Saturday, April 26, 2014 in Decatur.

Funeral is 2 p.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church in Decatur, with burial in Oaklawn Cemetery. Pastor Ken May will officiate. The family will receive friends 7-9 p.m. Thursday at the church.

Pallbearers include Tres Poynor, T.J. Poynor, Lee Hoehn, Richard Earle, Doug Parr, and Rusty Rice.

Terri was born October 29, 1973 in Fort Worth to Kenny Taylor and Carol Miller. She married Craig Douglas Johnson  on August 12, 1995 in Denton.

Terri began her career in public service in 1992, working as Community Relations Director with the Denton County Sheriff’s Department. She later earned her peace officer’s license and taught Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) in Denton County schools. She was named DARE Officer of the Year in 1996.

After earning a degree in criminal justice, Johnson worked part time for her local Justice of the Peace and began a lifelong love of public service and helping youth. While a stay-at-home mom, she invented and marketed a product to clean up tack for horse owners.

After her children got in school, Terri ran for Justice of the Peace in Wise County Precinct 2 and was elected. She was sworn into office January 1, 2007 and was re-elected in 2011. She served as secretary for the Texas Justice Court Judges Association and was a member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Criminal Justice and Juvenile Grant Review boards.

She was also a member and volunteer for the American Diabetes Association, a teacher for Junior Achievement and a mentor for Teen Court and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Decatur High School. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Decatur.

Her hobbies included shooting sporting clays, baking, traveling and being a part of all the events her two boys were involved in.

She is survived by her husband of 18 years, Craig Johnson of Decatur; sons Coy and Harlon Johnson of Decatur; mother Carol France and husband Garry of Sulphur Springs; father Kenny Taylor of Decatur; grandfather Garlon Taylor of Edmond, Okla.; brothers Rowdy France and wife, Debbie, of Sulphur Springs and Cody France and wife, Sarah, of South Carolina; sister Reka Ofner and husband, Ron, of Greenville; uncle Curt Miller and wife, Ruthie, of Bedford; nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her grandmothers, Ramona Miller and Alma Taylor; grandfather Curtis Miller; and an uncle, Tom Taylor.

Memorials can be made to the American Diabetes Association and Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Wise County.

Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home 940-627-5959