Michael O. Johnson was born April 17, 1943 in his grandmother’s home in Columbia, Tennessee. He passed away, at home, in his sleep, on May 18, 2017.

As a youth, Michael spent much of his time attending school and working the family farm in the rural hills of Tennessee. As he approached his teens, the family relocated to Detroit, Michigan, where he graduated from Cass Tech High School. His love of learning never stopped. He continued to insist that education/enriching the mind are the paths to a better life.

In June 1966, he married Patricia Jackson in Dearborn, Michigan. In 1968, the couple relocated to Atlanta, Georgia. In 1969, he became owner and CEO of Hilliker Associates, a commercial food service consulting firm. They moved to the suburb of Marietta in 1972 to raise their two children Sheri and Eric. In 2016, Michael retired from Culinary Design Center LLC (a rebranding of Hilliker Associates).

Michael was a well respected member of the Food Consultant industry belonging to the FCSI, where he served as president 1993-94, 2005 Inductee Council of Fellows member, former CPSTA member, former Atlanta 2007 conference chair, 2005 Award for excellence in Design. He was also the first honorary member of the United Culinary Art Association (Professional Chef Organization) where he served as the Secretary of Treasury. Michael sat on the Board of the Ceil B. Day School of Hospitality at Georgia State.

Michael attended Sandy Springs Christian Church, helping to design and build their facilities at Johnson Ferry and Abernathy Roads. He also taught youth Sunday School, Youth groups, and Adult Sunday School classes. He lent his deep bass to the choir in the 70s-80s as well.

Michael is survived by his bride of almost 51 years, Patricia, son Eric Johnson and his wife, Chanel, grandson Gryffin Johnson, daughter Sheri Mason, and granddaughters Haleigh and Michaela Mason. Smokey and Maggie, his beloved pets miss him too.

Services in Memory of Michael Johnson will be held Sunday, June 11, 2017, at Sandy Springs Christian Church, 301 Johnson Ferry Road, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328. Rev. Arthur “Art” Edwards will preside. The family will start receiving guests at 1PM and services will start promptly at 2PM. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations are made to FCSI Educational Foundation, c/o Michael Johnson Memorial, PO Box 4961, Louisville, Kentucky 40204

Please express condolences for the family in the comments section below. The Johnson family is being cared for by Georgia Funeral Care and Cremation Services, Acworth, Georgia.