Mr. Johnnie Boone

In Arapahoe, NC on Tuesday, August 31, 1943 the late Eunice Boone gave birth to a handsome baby boy, Johnnie William Boone. He was given the first name “Johnnie” after his mother’s brother and the middle name “William” after his maternal grandfather’s brother. Johnnie grew up under the watchful eyes of his mother and her father, the late George Allen Boone, as well as uncles and aunts.  He worked on the family farms and immediately learned work ethics and family values.  
He enjoyed being part of a village that consisted of multiple generations.  As a boy, “Johnnie William” or “Buddy” as he was known to his relatives, was energetic and full of personality.  Even as a child, he never met a stranger and was a master at striking up a conversation. He was a favorite among his family, and he took great joy in spending time with relatives of all ages.  

In terms of his education, Johnnie went to school at Pamlico Training School in Bayboro, NC; St. Joseph’s Catholic School in New Bern, NC; Gatlins Creek School in Arapahoe, NC; and S.W. Snowden High School in Aurora, NC.  After graduating from S.W. Snowden High School in 1961, Johnnie enlisted in the U.S. Army and served during the Vietnam War.  His most extensive tour of duty was in Germany. While serving in the U.S. Army, his Military Occupational Specialty was Vehicle Mechanic.  He had a knack for fixing vehicles, and it was the development of this skill that would guide his career. 

After the military, Johnnie’s personal life journey took him back home to North Carolina, then to Delaware, then back to North Carolina, then to Maryland, and then to Virginia.  His life was marked with triumph and tragedy.  In 1974, he was in a near-fatal car accident that almost left him paralyzed.  He broke his neck and sustained upper spinal damage. It was the survival of this accident that caused Johnnie to have a greater understanding of God’s grace.  He was keenly aware that God had spared his life, so with a grateful heart, he began working in the church and at one point even played the guitar.   During his career as a mechanic, he was blessed to hold some impressive positions.  

At one point, he worked with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. While living in Maryland, he landed a position as head mechanic for the historic DC Capitol Cab Company, which was the premier taxi service for the entire Washington, D.C. metropolitan area for several years.  

In 1995, Johnnie moved to Virginia where he met and married the apple of his eye, Kim Garner and in June 2011 they married. This union, as a blended family, brought more love and more laughter.  He never lost sight of what it meant to have fun.  He would often brag about how he and his wife, Kim, would take trips and cruises.  Kim treated him like a king, and he made sure everyone knew it.  He never stopped talking about his first cruise, yearly trips to Florida, his first trip to Disney World, and his trip to Hawaii. He was at home in Virginia, and it was clear that this would be where he would live out the rest of his days. 

As he journeyed into his senior years, Johnnie never lost sight of the values he had held in his younger days.  He took advantage of every opportunity to attend family gatherings and to attend major events like graduations, birthday celebrations, weddings, and even funerals for his family. Johnnie loved fishing, and it was never strange to see him with a rod & reel, a pole, a net, and his youngest son, Jermaine, on a pier, on a shore, or in a boat, trying to catch fish and crabs. Johnnie also enjoyed singing.  Oh, how he loved singing!  He would never stop talking about the male chorus, their latest songs, their latest uniforms, and the favorite songs that he led.  He never lost sight of family, and he especially enjoyed when his children would visit.  

He never stopped dancing; even into his late 70s, he and his sister could hit the floor and amaze a crowd. He never stopped telling jokes; he would show up at family functions and command a whole room with his humor and personality. “Johnnie William” was a legend. Two and three generations after him knew the name “Johnnie William” or “Buddy,” and they were always thrilled to finally get to meet him. Despite his sometimes-sharp personality and even sharper tongue, people loved “Johnnie William” or “Johnnie Boone” – as his older friends called him.  Old people loved him; young people loved him; and even strangers loved him.   

Left to celebrate his love and laughter and the moments that he made magical are: his wife of 14 years Kim Garner-Boone; and 13 children: Patricia Perry (Jerome), Terrence Tripp (Tori), Eric Rennell Boone, Derrick Donnell Boone, Laverne White (Edgar), Angela Jones (Iffy), Jon-Eric Nelson (Leticia), Derrick Bernard Boone, and Jermaine Boone;  Corey Garner, Steven Garner (Fancy), Monte Haney, and Kimberly Haney; 23 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; his sister: Annie Boone Cutler; one aunt, Georgia Boone; 6 sisters in law; 4 brothers in law; 3 special nephews: James Cutler (Kimberly), Jeffrey Cutler, and Gregory Cutler; and a host of other nephews, nieces, and other relatives.

It is the desire of the Boone family that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

The family of Mr. Johnnie Boone has entrusted his final care to C. C. Carter Funeral Home.

Interment with Military Honors will be held at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veteran's Cemetery on August 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM.

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