Palmer Martin Johnson, 76, of Columbus dies at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, June 25, 2006, at Columbus Regional Hospital. Mr. Johnson was a graduate of North Vernon High School and served in the U.S. Navy from 1948-1950. He had been owner of Johnson Auto Sales in Columbus, a regional manager for Commonwealth Life Insurance Company, a State Farm Insurance agent and had worked at Arvin Industries in Columbus. He was a member of Columbus Chamber of Commerce and attended Sandy Hook United Methodist Church in Columbus. Mr. Johnson was a avid guitar player, and enjoyed woodworking and collecting antiques. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home with the Rev. Connie Barr officiating. Calling is from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be at Dupont Cemetery. Born February 12, 1930, in Irving, Kentucky, Mr. Johnson was the son of Fred and Nora Gladys Thomas Johnson. He was married to Peggy L. Jordan Johnson for 33 years. Surviving are a son, Brent Palmer Johnson of Columbus; a daughter Janet Spears and her husband, Larry, of Nashville; brothers, Louis Johnson and Donald Johnson, both of North Vernon; sisters, Dorothy Dilk of Versailles, Juanita Singelton of Middletown, Kathlene Holly of Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Eugina Riddle of North Vernon; grandchildren, Tyler Martin Spears and Kyle Lee Spears, both of Nashville, Misti I. Johnson and Cyrus Brent Johnson, both of Seymour, and Trent Palmer Johnson of Lititz, Pennsylvania; and five great-grandhchildren. In addition to his immediate family, Mr. Johnson is survived by several nieces, nephews and cousins, many lifelong friends in the surrounding area, and his Maltese little buddy, Benji. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Carrel F. Johnson and Stanford E. Johnson; and sisters, Josephine Smith and Arvedia Armstrong.
