Dr. Wallace Dillon Johnson Jr., MD

Dr. Wallace Dillon Johnson, Jr., M.D. Dr. Wallace Dillon Johnson, Jr., M. D., age 72, died peacefully at home surrounded by loving family Thursday evening, December 15th. Dr. Johnson was born June 27, 1939 in Louisville, KY to Merle Bowles Johnson and Wallace Dillon Johnson, Sr. He attended grade school, middle school, high school, college, and medical school in Louisville. He was valedictorian at Valley High School, attended the University of Louisville as a National Merit Scholar, where he met and married the love of his life, fellow Chemistry major Joyce "Joy" Marie Hayes. They were married July 1, 1961. This past summer they celebrated their long-anticipated golden wedding anniversary. Joy supported Wally through medical school at the University of Louisville Medical School, where he graduated salutatorian. He began his medical internship and residency at Vanderbilt University, but his training was interrupted by the need to serve his country. From 1967-1970 he was drafted and served as an army doctor in Germany, accompanied by Joy and their firstborn, David, born August 25, 1966. He and Joy greatly enjoyed their time in Germany, made lasting friends, and passed on a love for Germany to their sons. He left the military as a major and returned to complete his training at Vanderbilt, where their second son, Alexander, was born December 16, 1970. The family moved to Philadelphia, where Dr. Johnson was trained in the Bockus gastroenterology program at the University of Pennsylvania. He was dual board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology. He practiced medicine in Bedford, Indiana from 1972 until 1985, where he also served as county coroner. He practiced medicine in Charleston, WV, from 1985 to 1988, and then moved to Beckley, WV, where he worked with Southern West Virginia Clinic and then opened a solo practice in 1990, where wife Joy assisted as office manager. A staunch believer in individual freedom and personal responsibility, he ran for governor of West Virginia as a Libertarian in 1996, with the campaign slogan "In your gut, you know he's right!" He received the largest percentage of votes of any third party candidate for governor that year. For many years, he taught the gastroenterology portion of the physician's assistant course at Western Mountain State. He was beloved by his patients. He never turned anyone away, regardless of their ability to pay. The family's table in Indiana and in West Virginia was often graced by the venison and garden produce of grateful patients. Dr. Johnson is survived by his beloved wife of more than 50 years, Joyce "Joy" Marie Johnson, who lovingly cared for him at home for almost 13 years following a disabling stroke in 1999; two sons, Wallace David Barrett-Johnson, Alexander Dillon Johnson, and eight grandchildren: Adriel Joy Barrett-Johnson, Shannon Kate Barrett-Johnson, Grace Katherine Barrett-Johnson, Theophilus "Theo" Marcus David Barrett-Johnson, Kara Michele Johnson, Paris Alexandra Johnson, Daniel Stephen Johnson, Joshua David Johnson. He is also survived by his sister Karen "Cookie" Johnson Smith and husband Jim Smith; two daughters-in-law, Kimberlee Anne Barrett-Johnson and Michele Lee Boucher Johnson; his "adopted" Polish daughter Agnieszka Gromulska Badurowicz; his sister-in-law June "Sissy" Hayes Alvey and husband Ed Alvey; several nieces and nephews; many faithful friends, especially Dr. Harold Harvey who cared for him for nearly 13 years after his stroke, physical therapist Ron Moreland, Dr. Robert and Mrs. Katrina Pulliam, Dr. and Mrs. R.C. Shah, Dr. and Mrs. Robert Yee, Shirley Kim, all friends at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and all the friends that Joy couldn't at this time remember. Dr. Johnson will be remembered for his love of travel, his profession, history, baseball, and his family, for his integrity and sense of service, for his work ethic and competitiveness/excellence; for his sense of humor, ready smile and enjoyment of good food. A memorial service to celebrate Dr. Johnson's life will be held 7:00PM Thursday, December 29, 2011 at St. Francis DeSales Catholic Church, 614 Oakwood Avenue, Beckley. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.blueridgefuneralhome.com Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley is assisting the Johnson family.