❧ In loving memory ❧
May 4, 1952 – December 10, 2022
Anthony Stephen “Tony” Johnson
A life of resilience, family, growth, and the home he loved at Kritter Ridge.
Family history connection
His Place in Our Family
Anthony Stephen “Tony” Johnson
May 4, 1952 – December 10, 2022
Tony was my husband. We married in 2013, and his family history belongs to the Johnson family line.
The life he built
Tony was born on May 4, 1952, in Ringgold, Georgia. Life demanded toughness from him early, and he learned how to survive what it handed him. That grit, resilience, and ability to keep moving forward became part of the strength he passed to his family.
His life was not simple or perfect. It was a life of learning, changing, taking responsibility, loving his children, and becoming more fully himself over time.
Family
Tony became the father of five children and later the grandfather of five. Whatever difficulties life brought, his children remained central to his story and his love for them did not waver.
Love and Kritter Ridge
Tony married Carrie Elizabeth Buffington in 2013. Together they built a partnership with steadiness, humor, and a gentler kind of peace. Their home became the place Tony lovingly named Kritter Ridge, a sanctuary and the first place in his life that truly felt like his own.
Kritter Ridge was more than property. It was home, belonging, and a life he had helped create.
My Love and My Best Friend
Tony was a tough man. Most people either loved him or hated him. He saw most things in black and white—there wasn’t much gray area with Tony. He was extremely smart, sharp, and witty.
I absolutely loved spending every moment with him, even the hard ones. He was everything to me: my love and my best friend. He was so funny and sweet with me. He always took care of me and protected me.
I loved him completely, and I still miss him every day. I learned so much about absolutely everything from him, and I will be eternally grateful for all the love and memories he gave me.
— Carrie
Home at the end
Tony died at home at Kritter Ridge on December 10, 2022. He was laid to rest on the land he loved on December 27, 2022.
His legacy
Tony’s story is one of survival, strength, family, and growth. His life was not always easy, but it mattered deeply to the people who loved him. He changed, he learned, and he left a legacy of resilience in the children and grandchildren who carry his story forward.
Things Tony Used to Say
“You aren’t worth 2 dead flies.”
“I didn’t feel a thing.”
Remember another one of Tony’s sayings? Send it to Carrie—and share the story behind it, if you remember.
Memories from Carrie
“Carrie!”
Tony was always hollering for me. He’d be working on something around the house or outside, and it seemed like the minute I got out of his sight, I’d hear him yell—and I do mean yell—“Carrie!”
A few times, I was standing right next to him when he did it. That still makes me laugh.
Even after he became very sick with heart failure, his humor was still there. His doctor had prescribed pain medicine, but Tony called them his “vitamins.” He’d say, “Carrie, I need a vitamin.”
“I Didn’t Feel a Thing”
One day, while we were hanging paneling in the bathroom, Hannah hurt her finger with a hammer. When she said how much it hurt, Tony replied, “I didn’t feel a thing.”
It became a running joke.
For Christmas the year he died, Tony had bought Hannah a necklace. He passed away before Christmas, but when she opened his gift, she found he’d had it engraved with those words:
“I didn’t feel a thing.”
What began as a joke became something she could hold onto.
There were so many sweet moments like that. Tony could be tough, but he was a softy at heart. He had so much love for so many people.
— Carrie
A Story That Still Makes Me Smile
Tony knew he wanted to be cremated, and we watched videos together to understand what would happen. He even talked about decorating his own cremation casket. His only requirement? He wanted it to sparkle. ❤️
Tributes Shared with Love
Birthday wishes, anniversary remembrances, and the pictures I share on Facebook to remember Tony—all gathered here, with love.
Tony in pictures
Photographs bring us back to the people, places, and everyday moments we never want to forget. Browse this collection of Tony with the people he loved.
Open Tony’s photo album on Google Photos ↗
Open Tony’s photo album on Amazon Photos ↗
Have a photograph that belongs here? Please email it to Carrie using the address below, along with any names, dates, or memories you know.
Remembering Tony through video
A photograph holds a moment. A video lets us hear a voice, see a familiar gesture, and spend a little time with someone again.
This collection includes Tony playing with Cole, time with Winston, and working on the cedar mantel—small pieces of his life, saved to revisit and share.
Leave a Reply