Philip Armitage Johnson

Philip "Phil" Armitage Johnson, age 84, was born in October of 1941 and raised in Oreland, Pennsylvania, a suburb just outside of Philadelphia.

Phil graduated from Jenkintown High School and earned his undergraduate degree from Gettysburg College. He went on to receive his PhD in clinical psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia. Phil began his career serving veterans at the VA Hospitals in Philadelphia and Coatesville, Pennsylvania. After working for the U.S. Army in Heidelberg, Germany, he and his family relocated to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1976.

For two decades, Phil served as the Director of Mental Health Services for the Chattanooga VA Outpatient Clinic, dedicating himself to veterans and their families until 1996. His passion for helping people extended well past his 30-year career with the VA; he subsequently opened a private practice specializing in family and marital counseling and didn't retire until 2021, at the age of 80.

Phil and his beloved wife, Carol Kay, raised four children: Kent Johnson (Zuzanna), Janet Payton (Gary), Carrie Dahlke (Roger), and Drew Johnson (Ashley). They were blessed with 11 grandchildren and 3 great-grandsons. Phil was an avid lifelong learner with a passion for studying world religions, philosophy, poetry, and the evolving advancements in the mental health field. He treasured attending his grandchildren's various sports, music, and arts events. Phil and Carol Kay have been members of the Kingsbury class at Brainerd United Methodist Church for 47 years.

A visitation will be held in the main sanctuary at Brainerd United Methodist Church (Chattanooga, TN) on June 14th from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM. A Celebration of Life Service will immediately follow from 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM. A private reception for the family will take place from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Phil's memory to the Wounded Warrior Project or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.