Kenner Ellis Johnson, 81, passed away September 5, 2026, at his home in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, after a long illness with Parkinson’s disease.

Born in Iowa City, Iowa, on November 28, 1944, to the late Ellis T. and Myrtle McCoy Johnson, Kenner grew up in Morehead before moving to Ashland, Kentucky, with his family.

Johnson was a member of the 1961 Ashland High School Tomcats basketball team that won the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) state championship, defeating Lexington Dunbar 69–50 in the title game.

In 1962, Ashland High School became Paul G. Blazer High School, and the Tomcats returned to Memorial Coliseum in Lexington. A key backcourt player, Johnson helped lead the team to the state championship game, where they finished as runners-up, falling to Louisville’s St. Xavier.

That year, Johnson was also named to the 16th Regional All-Tournament team. Johnson graduated from Paul G. Blazer High School in 1963, and from 1964-1965, he played on the freshman men’s basketball team at the University of Georgia.

A graduate of Morehead State University, Johnson earned degrees in history, journalism, and English. He taught English and journalism at Montgomery County High School from 1986-2006 and was faculty sponsor of the award-winning high school newspaper, The Tribal Tribune. He founded the Broadcast Journalism program at MCHS and was also the sponsor of Co-Ed-Y.

In addition to teaching, Johnson was a reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader and served as photographer, sports writer, and Sports Editor for the Mt. Sterling Advocate. Johnson also penned a popular human interest column called Sidelines.

Johnson’s interests extended well beyond teaching and journalism. He was a visual artist, a songwriter, a music and film buff, and a voracious reader. In 2014, he had a solo exhibit “Paintings from a Man Cave” at the Gateway Regional Art Center. He and his wife traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United States, returning many times to Martha’s Vineyard, a place that held special meaning for them.

Johnson is survived by his wife of 35 years, Janet (Hays) Johnson; his daughters, Lindsay (Troy) Porcelli and Rory (Aaron) Gruler; and his grandsons, Henry Kenner Porcelli, Ellis Joseph Porcelli, and Jack Emerson Gruler. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Barbara Kennedy.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to caregivers Nettie Auxier and Lisa Spence for the compassionate and devoted care they provided.

A funeral service honoring Kenner Johnson’s life will be held Saturday, September 12, at Taul Funeral Home, 109 East Main Street, Mount Sterling, with Pastor Paul David Prather officiating. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., followed by the funeral service at 1:00 p.m. A memorial stone will be erected at Haysville Cemetery in Lebanon, Kentucky, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at https://give.michaeljfox.org or The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) at https://action.aclu.org/give/now