DATE:  October 08, 1996            AREA:  USA, Louisiana, Texas

Headline: DEATHS
Publication Date: 
Source: The Baton Rouge Advocate
Page: 8-A
Region: Louisiana
Obituary: ALBIN S JOHNSON, 

An executive with Swift & Co. in dairy and poultry with 16 years of service, founder and co-owner of J-M Poultry Packing Co. and worked manual labor in a poultry plant during the summers 1960 to 1964, he died Sunday, Oct. 6, 1996. He was 52, a native of Wichita, Kan., and resident of Lexington, S.C. Religious services will be held at Lexington United Methodist Church, at 3 p.m. Wednesday, conducted by the Rev. John Ropp, the Rev. Fred Reese and the Rev. Delos Corderman. Interment in Woodridge Memorial Park. Visiting at the family residence, 136 Rustic Manor Court, Lexington.
Survived by wife, Rebecca Ann Woodin Johnson, Lexington, the daughter of former LSU president Dr. M.D. Woodin, whom he married July 17, 1965; three daughters Shannon V. Wingrove, Dallas, Shelley J. Boyd, Baton Rouge, and Courtney G. Johnson, Lexington; mother Vinita J. Martin, Alexandria; and two sisters, Jeanette J. "Jan" Ford, Natchitoches, and Linda J. Joseph, Alexandria.
Preceded in death by father, John Herbert Johnson. Pallbearers will be Charlie Weems, Tommy Culp, Buster Brown, Don Potter, Frank Monroe, Smokey Davis, John Bumgarner, Lee Holloway, Red Hudson and David Baxter. He was a graduate of Bolton High School, Alexandria, and Southern Methodist University, Dallas. 
He was employed May 1965 to March 1982 by J-M Poultry Packing Co., which was sold to the Pillsbury Co. in 1970, who later sold to Imperial Foods of London, England, in March 1974 and began operating as Country Pride Foods. Country Pride was the third largest poultry producer in the United States and combined with its parent, Imperial Foods, it was the largest in the world. Imperial Foods sold Country Pride to ConAgra in 1982. Columbia Farms was founded in March, 1982, and now processes 1.3 million birds a week. Columbia Farms ranks as South Carolina's ninth largest private firm and ranks 30th nationally in largest broiler farms. Columbia Farms has 1,350 employees and 200 independent contract growers. He spent time doing every hourly job in an integrated poultry operation and various supervisory positions in growing, sales and processing from 1965 to 1970. From 1971 to 1976 he was named division manager of 500,000 birds per week operation in Alexandria, with growing, processing and marketing total responsibilities. Division improved from last in company to equal to best by 1975. He was named member of the executive committee in 1974. From 1967 to 1979 he served on the Southeastern Poultry & Egg Association board of directors representing Louisiana; in 1973 he was president of Southeastern Poultry & Egg Association (youngest to serve at age 29); in 1973 he served president of Louisiana Poultry Industries Inc. and was named Man of the Year in Louisiana poultry industry; in 1979 he was named to the Louisiana Agri Council by commissioner of agriculture; in 1980 he was named to Louisiana Livestock and Sanitary Board and received industry's highest award, Workhorse of the Year; from 1982 to present he was director of the National Broiler Council; in 1983 he was president of South Carolina Processor and Distributor Council; from 1985 to 1987 he was director of the National Independent Food and Poultry Distributors Association; from 1985 to 1988 he was South Carolina's representative on Southeastern Poultry and Egg Association board; from 1986 to 1988 he served on the board of directors of Batesburg-Leesville Chamber of Commerce; he was selected a member of the executive committee of the National Broiler Council and chairman of two committees; served on numerous industry committees; was director of South Carolina Poultry Improvement Association; was a speaker at many industry seminars; was director of Executive Association of Greater Columbia (EAGC); was a member of the Presidents Association of A.M.A.; in 1988 he was director of the South Carolina National Bank Advisory Board and was chairman in 1989; in 1988 he received a national appointment to the advisory committee to Secretary of Agriculture for export strategy on poultry and eggs; from 1988 to 1989 he was treasurer of National Broiler Council; in 1989 he served on the board of directors of the South Carolina Poultry Federation; from 1989 to 1990 he was chairman of the board of directors of the National Broiler Council; in 1990 he was president of the South Carolina Poultry Federation; in 1991 he was Midland Technical College Foundation; from 1991 to 1995 he served on the board of directors at LSB Bancshares Inc. of South Carolina; from 1991 to 1995 he served on the Board of Directors at Lexington State Bank; from 1994 to present he served on the board of directors for BB&T of South Carolina; from 1992 to present he was a member of the National Poultry Food and Distributors Association; from 1993 to present he served as commissioner at Midlands Technical College; in 1993 he received the South Carolina Poultry Federation Outstanding Service Award; in 1994 he was South Carolina Entrepreneur of the Year, Wholesale/Retail; in 1995 to present he was the president of the Southern Golf Association; from 1994 to present he served on the board of directors for YMCA; from 1982 to present he served on the board of directors for the National Broiler Council; from 1996 to present he was president of the South Carolina Poultry Foundation. He was a member of the Lions Club from 1971 to 1978; served as board of directors of United Givers industry chairman of the Chamber of Commerce; from 1978 to 1982 he was a member of the Rotary Club, LSU Foundation, board of directors of Natchitoches Symphony, board of directors of Wesley Foundation and member of the Governor's Council of 100 in Louisiana; in 1981 he served as president of Natchitoches Symphony Society; from 1984 to present he was a member of EAGA in Columbia; from 1984 to 1986 he was a member of the Palmetto Society; from 1986 to 1987 he was stewardship chairman of Lexington United Methodist Church; in 1987 he was chairman of building campaign for Lexington United Methodist Church and a member of the administrative board; from 1988 to 1989 he was finance chairman at Lexington United Methodist Church and in 1990 was financial chairman of Lexington United Methodist Church. In 1965 he was captain of SMU golf team, treasurer of the college fraternity, past president of Louisiana State Golf Association and a board member for seven years; from 1982 to 1988 he was director of Southern Golf Association and officer and in 1988 he was tournament chairman of Southern Golf Association and on the board of directors at Lexington Country Club. His hobbies were golf, jogging, boating and travel. Memorial donations may be made to Lexington United Methodist Church. Caughman-Harman Funeral Homes, Lexington Chapel, in charge of arrangements.

      ¤   Obituary Questions

      ¤  

Looking for more ? 
                             ¤   Try Extras