Agnes Johnson

Agnes Marie Johnson (née Green; August 2, 1948 – March 6, 2013) was the mother of Randy Charles Johnson. She was born in an ambulance that broke down on the side of the road en route to the hospital. She grew up in Sneedville, Tennessee, the seat of Hancock County, one of the poorest counties in Tennessee.

When Agnes was about eight years old, her mother Laura Green died, leaving Burkey to raise five children. Burkey remarried briefly — not for love, but so the children would have a mother; the marriage lasted only 18 months.

Agnes married Charles Franklin Johnson on September 25, 1965, at age 17 — underage, requiring her father's signature. She gave birth to Randy's older brother approximately two years later, and to Randy nearly four years after that. Randy was a ten-month baby; throughout the pregnancy, Agnes assumed she would have a girl. A Chinese doctor delivered Randy and spoke to Agnes in Chinese. A nurse translated: "I think what he told you was you have a healthy baby boy." Agnes was surprised but not disappointed.

Agnes had Paranoid schizophrenia. Her first nervous breakdown occurred in October 1993, triggered by schizophrenia and menopause. She was hospitalized in Morristown for nine to ten days. Her husband took off work early on October 28, 1993, to bring her home. A second breakdown followed about fifteen months later. Thirty years later, Randy made a video marking the anniversary of her return from the psychiatric ward.

Agnes had a difficult relationship with her father Burkey Green, believing he hated her. Randy believes otherwise: one reason she married Charles was to escape Burkey, but Randy maintains that Burkey loved her. Agnes once told a young Randy that it was improper for women to go topless — but she incorrectly extended this to men as well, scandalized when she saw her uncle working shirtless in the yard.

Agnes's best friend was Irma from Sneedville, who married around the same time and had a premature baby born at seven months. Agnes's older sister Ina Mae Green outlived her, which surprised Randy.

Agnes had strong opinions: she hated Wednesdays, she believed men shouldn't go shirtless, and her brother Stanley Green's excessive bologna consumption "used to piss Mom off." She only wanted Republican presidents, a preference Randy documented. When her mother-in-law Bonnie Johnson insulted her for using eye shadow, calling her a "whore," Agnes shot back about hair dye.

Agnes died on March 6, 2013, at age 64. Randy was at the hospital; he went to the cafeteria, and when he returned, she had passed. Her funeral was at McNeil Funeral Home in Sneedville on March 9, 2013, officiated by Reverend Early King. Every year since, Randy writes her a birthday poem titled "Happy Birthday, Mom" and posts it on Postpoems. Her grave is in Sneedville.