CliffordN
Well-Known Member
Guys, I'm not sure if y'all saw this. And I was in the middle of getting ready to move, and not posting much at the time. My good friend and Nashville fishing guide, Merv Johnson (Agelessone here) drowned in a freak accident on Old Hickory on May 15th. He had launched his boat, and it started getting away from him. He swam out to get it, and went under never to resurface.
Merv was very outgoing, and in great shape for someone his age, so this was hard to comprehend. I strongly suspect he had a heart attack, but that was not confirmed.
We had spent many hours on Percy Priest, either in his boat, or when we would meet up on fishing trips. Our phone conversations were numerous, and always entertaining. And he had just finished welding some guides on my boat trailer a few days before.
Merv was the kind of guy who would go out of his way to help folks. Once, after meeting "two elderly gentlemen" (his words) out on the lake, who had told him they may not make it home because the bearings on their boat trailer might be going out, he fixed them while they were still fishing. You won't meet many like that!
Merv left behind a wonderful wife, an older son, and a teenage daughter.
The Percy Priest Hybrid and Striper Club is short one member, the lake is down one guide, and a bunch of us lost a very dear friend!
www.hendersonvillefh.com
Merv was very outgoing, and in great shape for someone his age, so this was hard to comprehend. I strongly suspect he had a heart attack, but that was not confirmed.
We had spent many hours on Percy Priest, either in his boat, or when we would meet up on fishing trips. Our phone conversations were numerous, and always entertaining. And he had just finished welding some guides on my boat trailer a few days before.
Merv was the kind of guy who would go out of his way to help folks. Once, after meeting "two elderly gentlemen" (his words) out on the lake, who had told him they may not make it home because the bearings on their boat trailer might be going out, he fixed them while they were still fishing. You won't meet many like that!
Merv left behind a wonderful wife, an older son, and a teenage daughter.
The Percy Priest Hybrid and Striper Club is short one member, the lake is down one guide, and a bunch of us lost a very dear friend!
Merv W. Johnson, Jr. Obituary 2024 - Hendersonville Memory Gardens, Funeral Home & Cremation Center
View Merv W. Johnson, Jr.'s obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.
www.hendersonvillefh.com
Last edited:
Look at it this way though, would you rather pass after months or years in a hospital or in the blink of an eye doing what you love? Me personally, he did it the right way! Godspeed my man!
. I didn't immediately respond and he messaged me again saying I didn't have to split the gas, just come fishing with him lol. Only made it out with him one time, but over the top generous guy.
