In Memory
Edwin “Eddie” Griffin Fountain Johnson III
Oct 21, 1954 - Jul 9, 2025
Edwin “Eddie” Griffin Fountain Johnson III, 70, of Cassopolis, died peacefully Wednesday, July 9, 2025 in the comfort of his family’s presence.
His life began October 21,1954 in Chincoteague, Virginia the oldest of six children. He first married Victoria Delos Santos. On May 21, 2005, he married Sheena Smith Underwood, the woman who was the love of his life, in Kanley Memorial Chapel on the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Eddie was a proud veteran of the United States Navy. He was aboard the USS Chicago CG-11 which carried the title of “The World’s Most Powerful Guided Missile Cruiser.” He also sailed the USS Sterett, a Belknap-class guided missile cruiser. He saw action in the Vietnam Conflict and the cold war and served aboard the USS Horne CG-30 cruiser. While in the Navy, he was a member of the undefeated football team, “The Subic Bay Admirals.” He was referred to as “The Man from MARS” as coordinator and administrator of the Navy-Marine Corps Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS), set up by the Department of Defense to provide emergency communication times of a national disaster to link together naval activities. Eddie routinely received, screened, and transmitted messages providing communications quickly and inexpensively to family and friends back home, providing morale boosting messages.
After raising his family, he returned to school, starting from the ground up, first attending Kalamazoo Valley Community College, then attending Western Michigan University. At the age of 54, he graduated in just two and half years from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing as the oldest student in his class and established his own criminal defense law practice: The Law Office of Edwin G. Johnson III. His family often quoted his code, “You’re never too old to learn, there’s no one, regardless of age, who can’t learn something.” He also served as a Cass County Commissioner. Eddie was a partner and vice-president of the Added Edge Group. One of his favorite things he enjoyed was talking about law, the state of the world we live in, how to make it better, and deep political conversation. Eddie would agree to disagree being respectful of everyone’s opinions, but always saying “I got work to do!”
Sheena lovingly held an annual MAK (Men Are Kings) party at their lake property on Paradise Lake in Vandalia, Michigan, affectionately calling Eddie “King Johnson,” enjoying a hot, sunny day with family and friends, riding his pontoon boat, listening to Motown music (especially David Ruffin), eating good foot (rig-tips were his favorite) and playing games. Sheena would tell all the ladies at the party, “Treat your man like a king and he will treat you like a queen.” And he did.
In his free time, Eddie had a passion for softball, water skiing, reading, and playing the family traditional card game “Bidwiz.” Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his blended family.
Edwin will be greatly missed by family and friends. He is survived by his wife of twenty years, Sheena Johnson; three brothers, Malcolm (Miriam) Johnson, Randall (Beth) James, Adam (Heather) Walker; two daughters, Maria “Venus” Johnson, Janet (Lydell) Little; four sons, Edwin “E4” (Rachel) Johnson IV, Dennis (Dawn) Underwood III, Matthew (Lisa) Underwood, Curt (Tonya) Underwood; twenty-three grandchildren, Shaunte’, Robert (Lauren), Chelsea (Zachary), Jasmine (Edgar), Dennis IV, “D.J.” (Lily), Heather (Brent), Kiara, Hunter (Stacia), Dezarai (Zach), Aidyn (Fatima), Cameron, Mia, Karsyn, Edwin “Nickel”, Jazlin, Samantha, Asher, Juliet, Alice, Kimora “Coco”, Bryar, Jake; ten great grandchildren, Emmanuel “Manny”, Mylah, Robert “Tre”, Zoey, Avery, Amiyah, Zyaire, Flynn, Nolan, Noa; his father, Edwin Griffin Fountain (Cheryl) Johnson, Jr; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Edwin was preceded in death by his mother and step-father, Janet Carole Walker, Abraham Walker; one sister, Michelle James, one brother, Rodney James.
Family and friends will gather Wednesday, July 16, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. in Wagner Family Funerals Connelly Chapel, 202 North Broadway Street, Cassopolis. Military Honors will begin precisely at 5:21 p.m. followed by the reading of his obituary and brief remarks by the family.
Edwin will be laid to rest in private family ceremony Calvin Center Cemetery in Calvin Township.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Wagner Family Funerals Connelly Chapel, Cassopolis. Please share a memory or a message online: wagnercares.com
07/16/2025 EJS
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