Ernie Johnson

(From Clark Funeral Home)

Ernie Keith Johnson was born on December 27, 1947, in Palmer, Tennessee, to Alton and Mary Lee (Hill) Johnson. He entered into rest on May 30, 2024, in Diamond, Missouri, at the age of 76. 

He grew up in Tracy City, TN and graduated from Grundy Count High School in 1967. He attended Nashville auto body tech school and then returned to Tracy City to join the family coal mines. He was drafted, but because of a bad heart valve and was told he wouldn’t live to be 25 years old. He returned to the coal mine to work with family. 

While working in the coal mines, Ernie became a high voltage lineman so he could run electricity unground. In 1970, he married Deborah Tegue and they had one son, Brandon Keith Johnson. Ernie built three motorcycles that were well awarded, the most known was Black Gold and it’s featured in the museum of modern art in Zurich, Switzerland. 

Ernie met and married S. Lorraine Wilkinson in 1992 and his love of photography and people became a priority. Together, they owned and operated Artistic Images by Ernie K. in Franklin, TN. Ernie loved photography and teaching others after earning five degrees in photography, he traveled across the United States and Canada teaching. They had one of middle Tennessee’s most awarded Garden Studios allowing them to capture images of children and family in a natural setting. 

Ernie loved to photograph weddings and was voted as the number one wedding photographer for ten years consecutively. He said one of his jobs he was most proud of was being able to assist in the photography of the Bush-Quail inauguration. 

In 2010, Ernie retired from photography. He was one of the most awarded in the SEPA. After retirement, Ernie moved to the Chattanooga area to be closer to his grandchildren. He was so happy to be a grandfather and truly loved his grandchildren, Alysia Carr, Oliver Johnson, and Zayne Johnson. In 2022, Ernie and Lorraine moved back to Missouri to be closer to Lorraine’s family. Ernie is survived by his wife, S. Lorraine Johnson, son, Brandon Keith Johnson and wife, Sara and grandchildren, Alysia Carr, Oliver Johnson and Zayne Johnson; two brothers, Michael Johnson and Tommy Johnson and two nephews, Russell Johnson and Trevor Johnson.

Ernie will be taken for cremation and no services are planned at this time.