Johnny L. Holtzclaw, 63, of Dawsonville died Nov. 8, 2018.

Born June 8, 1955 to the late Lester and Marcell Holtzclaw, he had been a resident of Dawsonville for over 30 years after spending a large part of his life in Forsyth County.  Johnny worked as a carpenter and for many years and was employed by the Wallace family at Country Cupboard Food Stores where he worked as a maintenance tech and held many certifications.  A loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather, he was lovingly known as “Papa J”.

Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Vama Holtzclaw of Dawsonville; children, Johnny Holtzclaw, Adam Holtzclaw, Tony and Elisha Holtzclaw, all of Dawsonville, Shana and Pio Carreras of Nevada; sisters and brothers in law, Wansley and W.C. Parker of Cleveland, Alice and Mark West of Canton, Dorothy and Gerry Sullivan of Cumming, Janice Holtzclaw of Villa Rica, Tammie Hildebrant of Dawsonville; brothers and sister in law, Ray Holtzclaw, Michael and Sandy Holtzclaw, all of Dawsonville; grandchildren, Samantha, Cynthia, Kevin, Kailyn, Kyler, Danielle, Karlee, Kristen, Aiden, Zacchaeus, Josiah, Cheyenne, Perry, Rebekah, Parker, Mackennah; great-grandchildren, Brailyn, Avia, Emberly, Jailyn, Ariana; a number of nieces, nephews and other relatives; various other relatives also survive.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Nov. 11 at Bearden Funeral Home Chapel with  Rev. Brody Hughes, Rev. John Nash and Rev. Tony Holtzclaw officiating.  Interment followed in Coal Mountain Baptist Church Cemetery.

The family received friends at the funeral home from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Nov. 10 and on Sunday from 10 a.m. until the hour of service.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio Street, Suite 500, Chicago, Illinois 60611, www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org or to help offset final expenses.

Bearden Funeral Home of Dawsonville was in charge of the arrangements.