Johnny Harve Bingham

Johnny Harve Bingham, age 77, left this life on the morning of January 12th, 2025, at home, after a brave battle with cancer. He was born April 5th, 1947, to L.E. and Irene Stribling Bingham in Reagan, TN. He was the oldest son in a sharecropping family that made their living in Reagan, Sardis, and Scotts Hill. He was a rough-and-tumble kid who busted another boy's lip on his first day of school for stealing his fruit, but he grew to be a tender-hearted man who would do anything he could to help others. He loved antique cars and fixed up several. When he frequented car shows or watched them on tv, he would typically say "I had one just like that!" to every other car. In his younger years, he was so into trading cars that his wife feared a different car might be waiting in the parking lot when she left work (It happened once!) He planted huge gardens and shared his vegetables with friends and family. He had a green thumb that kept his yard full of beautiful flowers. He appreciated the simple things in life like starting the day with a cup of coffee on the porch. He was a 1965 graduate of Sardis High School. He served 35 years in the Army National Guard (mostly in Henderson, Savannah, and Lexington) and retired as a first sergeant (E8.) He was a jack-of-all-trades with many jobs throughout his life including Holcomb Porter, Orkin, running a paper route, Goodyear, JC Penny Auto, Pyramid Life Insurance, Solutions Insurance, Johnson Controls, Speedy Lube, AmPharm, Save-A-Lot, and Industrial Paint Cleaning Services. He also started B&W Auto Sales with Randy White. He made lifelong friendships at every job. In his later years, he was known to wear colorful suspenders and sport a Sam Elliot style mustache.
He was a devoted husband and father. He married his high school sweetheart, Debbie, in 1966 and took his vows very seriously. Debbie had many years of sickness. Johnny helped her through it all and eventually had to give her round-the-clock care. His love and dedication kept her alive and in good spirits far longer than medically thought possible. Johnny treated his nieces, nephews, and friends' children like they were his own. Joshua Welch and Melanie Millinder were two who especially had their Uncle Johnny's heart growing up. After Debbie's kidney transplant in 1987, the Binghams were told they would never have children. In 1992, they were surprised with twins. The twins were early, and their son did not survive, but Johnny became the best dad to a Daddy's Girl he named Robyn Leigh. She was his little shadow, and he taught her to love classic cars, classic rock, coffee, camping, cultivating gardens, and camouflage. They probably rode a thousand miles on bicycles together.
He is survived by his daughter Robyn Schlichter and her husband Jeff, a brother: Danny (Sandy) Bingham, two sisters: Linda Cox and Martha Gail (William) Hayes, two aunts: Kathleen Halters and Helen Creasy, in-laws who were like siblings to him: Gene (Judy) Robertson, Phil (Anna) Robertson, and Edie (Barry) Stinnett, a lifelong friend who was like a sister, Pat Sego, many cousins, beloved nieces and nephews, friends, and neighbors.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Debra Robertson Bingham, a niece, Daphne Simpson, and his infant son, Jonathan Gray Bingham.
In Oct 2022, after his wife died, Johnny decided to do something she had asked him to do for years. He quit smoking. Unfortunately, he discovered he had aggressive lung cancer in March 2024. The doctor said he had likely only had cancer for three or four months, but it was already stage 4 and metastatic. He quickly went from independent and healthy to battling for his life. If he could go back in time, he would have smacked the cigarette out of that young army cadet's hand back in basic training. If you smoke, this is your sign to begin the process of quitting and talk to your doctor about lung screenings.
We know Heaven is a little brighter with Johnny there. He has probably already been making up for lost time with friends who went before him: drinking coffee on Warren Sego's back porch, fishing in Lanny Redding's pond, painting an antique car in Bruce Washburn's garage, riding around town with Noble Ray Duke, watching Christmas Vacation with Misty McPeake, catching up with all his national guard buddies, laughing with Susan Barber, and playing Rook with Bobby and Gail Roach or anyone else who will challenge him. The best moment has probably been seeing his wife walk again and meeting his son - a happy family reunion.
Visitation will be at Reeds Chapel in Lexington on Friday, January 17th from 4PM to 9PM and again on Saturday, January 18th from 10AM until the funeral. Funeral services will begin at 1PM on January 18th at Reeds Chapel in Lexington, TN. Burial will follow at Marls Bluff Cemetery in Sardis TN, with military honors. Matt Robertson and Jamie Smith will officiate.
Flowers are much appreciated as he beautified our world with them, but if you would prefer to make a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Johnny's memory, he would also have loved that. Our family is very thankful for the wonderful medical staff we have met on this journey including those at Kirkland Cancer Center, Volunteer Home Care, TN Quality Care Hospice, and all our friends on A and B9 of Jackson Madison County General Hospital!