Johnny Mack Strong was born on August 2, 1954, to Roy and Sue Strong, the second of four rambunctious boys, growing up in Tallassee and Liberty City Alabama. Later, the family moved to Opelika, where he spent most of his school years. In high school, he learned to play the tuba, becoming selected to participate in the All State Band. Following high school, he attended Auburn University for a time, playing tuba in the marching band. As a teenager and young adult, Johnny most enjoyed the time he spent with his grandmother Georgia Mason. With her he developed his love of gardening, family genealogy, and history. His weekends were often spent roaming around the countryside with Grandmother, exploring abandoned old forts, finding arrowheads, and visiting distant relations. It was at church one Sunday with Grandmother that he met and fell in love with the love of his life Sallie. He and Sallie would be married in 1975, the beginning of 49 years of life and love. Following their marriage they soon began to expand their young family with two sons they loved beyond measure, first Matthew and just a few years later Christopher. Also, during this time, he would follow in Sallie's footsteps and become a registered nurse, graduating from Troy State University in 1980. His excellence as a nurse began early, being selected by his hospital, East Alabama Medical Center, to begin the very first inpatient dialysis unit. Following soon after, he became the head nurse of EAMC's Surgical Intensive Care Unit. It was here that he earned the first of several professional certifications, his CCRN, of which he was exceedingly proud, maintaining it for many years. During that time, he was selected as the hospital employee of the year for 1984! In his later years at EAMC, he would help initiate the first Cardiac Cath Lab unit, under Dr. John Mitchell. Soon, however, the mountain scenery and beautiful beaches of North Carolina would beckon, and he and Sallie would move the family to Mocksville to be near their other beloved family, Calvin, Laura, Celeste, and Susan Carter. Johnny would find a new nursing career at North Carolina Baptist Hospital, first working the cardiac care unit, and then later moving to the operating room, becoming CNOR certified. After spending several years in the neurosurgical OR, he would change nursing areas one last time, transferring to the Electrophysiology Lab, where he became the very first RCES certified nurse. Johnny retired from his long nursing career in 2012 for health reasons.

Outside of work and his family, Johnny's greatest loves were spending time with his garden and plants, planting and nurturing beloved English Boxwoods in his woodland garden, tirelessly swinging in his garden swing and patiently watching the birds coming to one of his feeders, taking simple pleasures in things like getting a saltshaker and eating tomatoes off the vine. He loved spontaneously taking off for a day trip exploring the mountains, especially places like Roan Mountain, Beech Mountain, Grandfather Mtn, and Mabry Mill in Virginia. He greatly enjoyed family trips to the outer banks, never losing interest in walking the beaches of Rodanthe and Ocracoke. He loved the idea of just packing up and going somewhere, once in particular, he, Matt, and Christopher took off in the middle of the night for a whirlwind road trip to Key West Florida, driving all night and most of the next day to eat some good food, then getting up the next day to drive all the way back to Mocksville! It was an exhausting trip, but one he and his sons would treasure and never forget! History, especially the Civil War and family ancestry, piqued his interest, never tiring of discussion and research.

As the years passed, the family grew. Both of his sons would marry and welcome Mary and Cheryl to the family. They would also be welcoming four precious grandchildren, Abram, Cassandra, Henry, and Charlotte. Johnny adored his grandchildren, and although his health was beginning to take its toll, he never passed on an opportunity to play with his grandchildren, hanging out with them inside, and outside among his beloved plants. He delighted in watching these wonderful children grow, and in turn, they all adored him.

Johnny and Sallie would spend the remaining years of their lives together, sharing time with one another, developing a closeness that would grow ever deeper as time passed. Later in his life, he grew deeper in his Christian faith, embracing a new life in the Catholic church, for which he was very proud. Johnny embraced the church and although his health limited his ability to attend in person, he faithfully attended mass online every Sunday at 9am. Johnny was very proud of the new relationships he made with Father Eric, Stephen and Evan Grimaldi, and many others at Saint Francis of Assisi. Johnny was particularly proud of being honored to join the Knights of Columbus. Alas, health began to take its toll further, and in the past year, he suffered a series of major health problems and would ultimately lead to him making the decision to spend his last days in peace. Johnny spent the final days of his life surrounded by family and the caring staff of Kate B. Reynolds Hospice home in Winston-Salem, succumbing to his long-standing illness on May 10, 2025.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 2:00 PM on Friday, May 16, 2025 at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Mocksville, North Carolina with Rev. Father Eric L. Kowalski officiating with a 30 minute visitation prior to service time. Burial in Rose Cemetery will follow.