James E. Johns, 79, passed suddenly at his home in Reno. James (Jim) was born in Bellefountaine, Ohio to Helen and Forest Johns in 1936. James and his brother Lloyd (Bud) Johns had many adventures in rural Ohio before moving to Coolidge Arizona.

A son of depression era parents he learned to willingly put his hands to any task. Evenly adept at working a business negotiation as rebuilding the wooden spoke wheels of his model T as completing the training necessary to earn his Pilot licenses.

James E. Johns entered the United States Air Force and attained the rank of Sergeant. He pursued training to become a survival instructor joining the core training cadre at the Stead Air Base for the SEER training courses held North of Reno in the late 1950s. A recent pleasure was attending the dedication of the memorial site at the Stead Base. Jim later Served with the City of Coolidge Police department through 1964 then returned to Reno to work for the City of Reno Police department from 1964 through 1978. James served in many sections of the Department attaining Inspector rank and working in Detectives as well as in the Police K-9 unit with his partner K9 Wolfe.

Jim Johns leaves behind many friends and loves. Primary among them is his dear wife Amina (AJ) Johnson Johns. He was preceded in passing by his parents and one son. He is survived by his brother Bud and sister-in-law Diana and their four sons who reside in Arizona. Locally, family includes Marty Hoover; children Jeanette (Shawn), James (Bridget), Jeffrey (Katherine), Jacqueline (Roger), Joseph (Cheryl), Steven (Jocelyn), and yes the youngest Kristy (Mike). Jim enjoyed the growing family with twenty-two grand children and two great grand children.

Jim Johns left the Department in 1978 and for the past many years was actively successful in local real estate. Many buyers and sellers of homes became lifelong friends and acquaintances. His passions included flying, flight instruction, rebuilding cars (he would rather hunt down a fault code on a newer vehicle rather than have a dealer do what he could) and puttering in his garage. As a lifelong Brittany spaniel fan, many families have been introduced to being owned by a Brittany through the efforts of both Jim and AJ.

A dear love to AJ, father and friend; Jimmy Johns will be forever missed.

For our family pilot: “Within all of us is a varying amount of space lint and star dust, the residue from our creation. Most are too busy to notice it, and it is stronger in some than others. It is strongest in those of us who fly and is responsible for an unconscious, subtle desire to slip into some wings and try for the elusive boundaries of our origin.” » K.O. Eckland

In lieu of flowers please send a donation to the Nevada Humane Society or the RSPCA.

A memorial service is scheduled for Wednesday, February 17, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at O’Brien-Rogers & Crosby Funeral Home located at 600 W. Second Street. A small reception will follow at the BangKok Cusine at 5851 S. Virginia St in Reno.

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