Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Ray C. Johnson, 84, of Suffolk, Virginia, passed away on Feb. 1, 2024. Ray was born Feb. 27, 1939 in Salem County, New Jersey. He was the son of the late, Anna Caton Johnson Young and Ray C. Johnson, Sr. “Cottie”.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Tibbs Johnson, sister, Earla Johnson Wiseman and granddaughter, Victoria Anne Dail.

Ray graduated from Windsor High School in 1958. After high school, he attended the Norfolk Division of William and Mary. Ray was the owner of Morris and Piland Printing in Suffolk, Printcraft Press in Portsmouth, Modlin Printing in Smithfield and many other print shops in the Hampton Roads area. His love for printing started at an early age while working at The Tidewater News in Franklin, Virginia. He then purchased a handpress and operated his first print shop out of his home. He purchased Piland Printing in 1963 and later purchased Morris Printing and combined the two to form Morris and Piland Printing. He sold that business in 2008 and finished out his retirement at Printcraft Press in Portsmouth.

Ray enjoyed living on the Nansemond River. He loved working outside and feeding the wildlife. He enjoyed cooking, entertaining, playing pool and collecting classic cars.

Ray is survived by his children, Troy C. Johnson (Terri) of Suffolk and Amy J. Dail (Michael) of Kill Devil Hills, NC; grandchildren, Kyle Honeycutt (Morgan), Haley Norfolk (Michael), Kelsey Honeycutt, Lucas Johnson; five great grandchildren; sister, Cora Ann Johnson of Franklin, Virginia and nephew, Edward G. Stephenson of Ellicott City, Maryland.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024 at R.W. Baker & Company Funeral Home in Downtown Suffolk. Burial will be private at Holly Lawn cemetery in Suffolk. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) in memory of Ray.