{"id":126596,"date":"2023-02-21T10:45:41","date_gmt":"2023-02-21T16:45:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=126596"},"modified":"2023-02-21T10:45:44","modified_gmt":"2023-02-21T16:45:44","slug":"obituary-vingilan-thaier-johnson-march-5-1971-february-12-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/obituary-vingilan-thaier-johnson-march-5-1971-february-12-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Obituary: Vingilan Thaier Johnson (March 5, 1971-February 12, 2023)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Vingilan Thaier Johnson<\/strong> was born to <strong>Charles <\/strong>and <strong>Ethel Johnson<\/strong> of <strong>Oxford, Mississippi<\/strong> on March 5, 1971. He accepted <strong>Christ <\/strong>at an early age at <strong>St. John Missionary Baptist Church<\/strong> in Oxford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<strong>Vingi<\/strong>,\u201d as he was affectionately called, loved <strong>God <\/strong>and singing praises to His holy name. His musical gift allowed him the opportunity to play drums for the gospel group, <strong>The Sounds of Heaven<\/strong>, during his juvenile years. Vingi was an avid sports enthusiast with a love for football.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vingi attended the <strong>Oxford City Schools<\/strong> and was a proud classmate of the <strong>Oxford High School Class of 1989<\/strong>. During his tenure, he played football, sang in the <strong>Oxford High Chorus<\/strong>, was voted <strong>Most Talented<\/strong> in 1988 and crowned <strong>Mr. OHS<\/strong> in 1989. \u00a0After graduating from OHS, he attended <strong>Jackson State University<\/strong> in <strong>Jackson<\/strong>, MS from 1989-1994 on a full football scholarship. While at JSU, he was a four-year starter for the <strong>Tigers<\/strong>\u2019 defense and Team Captain his senior year. \u201c<strong>Rock Head, BIG DOG<\/strong>,\u201d as he was nicknamed was not the LB (Linebacker) you wanted to come in contact with on the grid iron. His team player style earned him respect on and off the field. In 1994, Vingi received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Technology\u00a0from JSU. He owned a <strong>Jani-King<\/strong> franchise for several years and worked for companies in the freight industry. For over 14 years, he was Terminal Manager at <strong>YRC Worldwide<\/strong> in <strong>Bossier City<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On February 9, 1997, Vingi married the love of his life <strong>Wanda Michelle Sylvester<\/strong>. To this union two beautiful children were born, <strong>Tyler Darnae<\/strong> and <strong>Brandon Thaier Johnson<\/strong>. Wanda was a devoted wife and compassionately cared for husband through sickness and health. They shared many good times together especially the JSU excursions, true die hard JSU Alumnus. Vingi was loving, family oriented, magnanimous, and amusing. He was the life of the party, the light in the room, the smile that could brighten your day. He was a pleasant spirit and beautiful soul that created great relationships. He lived life to the fullest, enjoyed traveling and going to watch <strong>THEE JSU TIGERS<\/strong> and the <strong>Sonic Boom of the South<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Sunday, February 12, 2023, Vingi made it to the ultimate Super Bowl. He submitted to the Lord\u2019s will and peacefully transitioned to his heavenly home.\u00a0 He leaves to cherish his precious memory, his wife of 26 years, Wanda Johnson of Bossier City, LA; his daughter, Tyler Johnson of Jackson, MS; his son, Brandon Johnson Bossier City, LA; \u00a0his Godson, <strong>Sgt. Charles E Moffett III<\/strong> of <strong>Kaiserslautern, Germany<\/strong>; his parents Charles and Ethel Johnson of Oxford, MS;\u00a0 two sisters, <strong>Nekici Ruffin<\/strong> (<strong>Anthony<\/strong>) of Oxford, MS and <strong>Matrice Raven<\/strong> (<strong>Thaddeus<\/strong>) of <strong>Fort Worth, TX<\/strong>; one granddaughter, <strong>Journey Love<\/strong> of Jackson, MS; mother in love, <strong>Ann Jackson<\/strong> of <strong>Clinton, <\/strong>MS; mother in love, <strong>Rosalyn Sylvester<\/strong> of Jackson, MS; \u00a0four nephews, <strong>Dallas <\/strong>and <strong>Mason Ruffin<\/strong> of Oxford, MS and <strong>TJ<\/strong> and <strong>Caleb Raven<\/strong> of Fort Worth, TX and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was preceded in death by his grandparents, <strong>Robert Abe<\/strong> &amp; <strong>Fannie Lee Johnson<\/strong>; <strong>Jonas &amp; Rossie Lee Parham<\/strong>; <strong>Joe Jr. Woods<\/strong>; great-grandparents, <strong>Willie &amp; Ronetta Johnson<\/strong>; <strong>Roger &amp; Collean Thompson<\/strong>; <strong>Hattie Harris<\/strong>; and <strong>Clyde Woods<\/strong>. Father in love, <strong>Edward Sylvester<\/strong> and <strong>Jimmy Jackson<\/strong> also preceded Vingi in death.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/TheLocalVoiceLigature-25web.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"25\" height=\"16\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/TheLocalVoiceLigature-25web.jpg?resize=25%2C16\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14544\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Vingi-Johnson.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"463\" height=\"598\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Vingi-Johnson.jpg?resize=463%2C598\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-126598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Vingi-Johnson.jpg?w=463&amp;ssl=1 463w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Vingi-Johnson.jpg?resize=232%2C300&amp;ssl=1 232w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vingilan Thaier Johnson &#8220;Vingi&#8221; (March 5, 1971-February 12, 2023)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Services<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">VISITATION<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Friday<br>February 17, 2023<br>1:00 PM to 6:00 PM<br>L. Hodges Funeral Service<br>38-F Hwy 334<br>Oxford, Mississippi 38655<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/?q=38-F+Hwy+334,+Oxford,+Mississippi+38655\" target=\"_blank\">Directions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CELEBRATION OF LIFE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Saturday<br>February 18, 2023<br>11:00 AM<br>Tallahatchie-Oxford Missionary Baptist Association Building<br>20 Highway 334<br>Oxford, Mississippi 38655<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?height=476&#038;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flaverahfunerals%2Fvideos%2F872151073878490%2F&#038;show_text=true&#038;width=267&#038;t=0\" width=\"267\" height=\"591\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowFullScreen=\"true\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">BURIAL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Saturday<br>February 18, 2023<br>Greater St. John M.B. Church<br>329 County Road 103<br>Oxford, MS 38655<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?height=476&#038;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Flaverahfunerals%2Fvideos%2F912329979916344%2F&#038;show_text=true&#038;width=267&#038;t=0\" width=\"267\" height=\"591\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowFullScreen=\"true\"><\/iframe>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vingilan Thaier Johnson was born to Charles and Ethel Johnson of Oxford, Mississippi on March 5, 1971. He<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":238,"featured_media":126600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1209],"tags":[24307,24310,24297,24296,11168,24305,24312,2299,5,24302,4,24301,24300,24303,24311,24298,24299,24309,24295,24294,24308,24306],"class_list":["post-126596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-obituaries","tag-bossier-city","tag-brandon-thaier-johnson","tag-charles-johnson","tag-ethel-johnson","tag-jackson-state-university","tag-jani-king","tag-kaiserslautern","tag-louisiana","tag-mississippi","tag-mr-ohs","tag-oxford","tag-oxford-city-schools","tag-oxford-high-school-class-of-1989","tag-rock-head","tag-sgt-charles-e-moffett-iii","tag-st-john-missionary-baptist-church","tag-the-sounds-of-heaven","tag-tyler-darnae-johnson","tag-vingi","tag-vingilan-thaier-johnson","tag-wanda-michelle-sylvester","tag-yrc-worldwide"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/2023-02-12-Vingi-Johnson.jpg?fit=620%2C349&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/238"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126596"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126596\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/126600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}