JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Colleagues and former students are remembering the legacy and life of Jimmie Johnson.
Johnson held many roles in Duval County, he was a principal, a coach, and chairman of the Duval County school board.
“He’s a trail blazer and pretty much got everything started with the Raines tradition, the ‘Ichi Ban’ just that never say done spirit. We just want to make sure we continue the pride, the Viking pride, the Viking spirit," said Donovan Massline, the Viking's head football coach.
Johnson served as the head football coach and the athletic director at William Raines High School. He also made history at the school as the longest serving principal in the history of Raines.
Former student, Dr. Jermall Wright, said he was motivated to become a principal in Duval county after serving as ‘principal for a day’ learning under Johnson.
“You would see him around campus. He would always be telling students to pull up their pants, get to class, he was very firm. But he also had a loving caring side as well...it was just an honor and a privilege to be able to study him, to observe him, to mimic him and really pattern my whole professional career after him," said Wright, Superintendent of the Mississippi Achievement School District and former principal of S.P. Livingston Elementary in Duval County Public Schools.
After his role as principal, he became a Duval County school board member from 1996-2004, moving into the vice chair and chairman role.
Kristanna Barnes served with him as his his vice chair, before becoming board chairwoman herself.
Barnes remembers going with Johnson door to door, educating families in Jacksonville about the importance of school attendance, during his effort ‘Project Reach’.
“He was a great example of, as I said, putting the children first, the student first in the county, not doing what was convenient for the adults but what was best for the students," Barnes explained.
The Viking Battalion lowered all school flags to half-mast as a symbol of respect, to Johnson.
Funeral arrangement have not yet been announced, as of Wednesday afternoon.