Dr. Lloyd Johnson Jr. passed away Tuesday. I distinctly remember our first meeting: I was a teenager lying on a gurney in a draped-off emergency room at the old Colonial Manor Hospital. I had never heard the name Dr. Johnson before and was obviously frightened while waiting for this unknown orthopedist to arrive.
When Dr. Johnson first entered the small area, I had no idea who he was and I was not particularly impressed by his appearance, other than he was tall. Then he spoke in reassuring words, telling me of my injuries and explaining what needed to be done.
In later years I would see Dr. Johnson at various civic events. He was always surrounded by family and friends--a man rich in more ways than one. Even before I became a nurse, I knew that Dr. Johnson and his partner Dr. Frank Hatchett had introduced the modern world of orthopedics to the Shoals area, an area that had until then been often served by what could traditionally be called "sawbones."
Dr. Johnson continued to work after retirement from his orthopedic practice a few years ago and remained an active presence in the Shoals. He was truly an inspiration to all who knew him and he will be greatly missed.
My sympathies to his family,
Nurse Nan
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