Johnny Willie Varner Jr.

Johnny demonstrated a positive and meaningful impact on me. I met him as a student intern in college in 2017 then a few years later, I ran into him at a company event where he told me about the job at Goodwill. His no nonsense approach may seem harsh or even rude to people who don't know him, but to me it was the way Johnny demonstrated his ability to light fires in people. Mr. Varner was the epitome of a tough, yet kind and funny soul. We celebrated his retirement at the end of January and I'll never forget his antics and nickname for me. Til next time sir

Prayers for the family and lean on Him during this time.

My sincere condolences to the family. My prayers are with you during your time of grief. It was a pleasure to know and work with Johnny, he was kind and friendly.

It has been nearly 5 years since I left Goodwill for Veterans Affairs. One of my last assigned sites was Oakwood where I worked alongside Johnny on a weekly basis. He was always welcoming and willing to give me a helping hand whenever I needed. One of my favorite memories was daily cleaning all the desks, chairs, computers...really all surfaces that job seekers could come into contact with as they looked for employment. We even cleaned the legs of the chairs. It was during the height of COVID-19 after all. I loved serving with this Veteran who was passionate and committed to his clients, colleagues, and community. I´m so glad I knew Johnny. My deepest condolences to his family! Valerie Johnson

I was truly saddened to hear about the loss of Johnny Varner. Please accept my heartfelt condolences during this difficult time. As a fellow veteran and co-worker I pray for the family.

I had the extreme pleasure of working closely with Johnny for his entire Goodwill of North Georgia tenure. When you spend so much time together your bond turns from work colleagues into family. We would call each other to vent, laugh or joke about almost anything. He was not only my brother in arms as a veteran but also a friend. Our last time together was sharing memories and laughs at his retirement celebration from Goodwill. Those who turned out acknowledged their deep respect and admiration for Johnny, which is a true testament of a legacy and life well lived. I will cherish the bond we had and all the words of encouragement he spoke into my life. Rest easy my brother, "Wakanda Forever".

I Pray that God will give you strength and Healing. .

While Johnny and I never worked directly together at Goodwill, it was a blessing and an honor to be on the same team and to strive to carry out the same mission. While our interactions were nearly always brief, they were colored with Johnny´s warmth and humor, wit and kindness. Johnny greatly contributed to Goodwill´s culture of treating everyone he served and worked with with dignity and respect. My heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Leissa Varner and his entire family. May you be covered with God´s comfort and peace. -Sylvia Mosley

To the Family,

I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Johnny. He was kind, patient, and knowledgeable.
Johnny, thank you for your dedication and your service!
I pray for an abundance of comfort and strength during this time. May his memory and love forever keep you.

I didn't know Mr. Varner well; he was nearing retirement just as I was coming into Goodwill of North GA Decatur. We exchanged a few emails for work. :) I heard so many great things about his commitment & service to the Gainsville/Oakwood area, & how he was loved and respected by his colleagues & so many others. I just wanted to give my deepest condolences to his family. Rest in Power.

Johnny used too love peanuts Quinton Irvin and I were sitting at a TTF years ago and had a handful of something and thought he was shaking dice lol joking with him askung what he had and he said "yall don't know how good peanuts are!" We laughed so hard