Johnnie Marie Vathis

Johnnie Marie (Odom) Vathis made her debut on Tuesday, October 17, 1951 in Port St Joe, FL. She was welcomed into a loving family by her parents John and Ruth Odom and two very excited sisters, Wanda and Sue who had been anxiously awaiting her arrival.

Johnnie was a lifelong resident of Port St. Joe. She graduated from Port St. Joe High in 1969. She retired from the Gulf County Tax Collector’s office where she worked under Eda Ruth Taylor and Shirley Jenkins. Anyone needing a tag or hunting license, or fishing license knew who Johnnie was.

After retirement Johnnie lived a quiet life taking care of her little dog, Charlie.

Johnnie went home to be with the Lord on November 10, 2023, after an extended illness contributed to her passing. She was greeted in Heaven by her parents, John Dell Odom and Wanda Ruth (Dykes) Odom; her older sister and her husband, Wanda (Odom) Baker and Herb; and her younger brother John Thomas (Tommy) Odom.

Johnnie left behind her son and his wife, George Jamison “Jamie” Vathis and Nichole (Pugh) Vathis; her granddaughter Kaitlyn Marie Vathis; her sister Dianna Sue (Odom) Ramsey; and her sister-in-law, Karen Odom. Johnnie was like a second mother to her nieces and nephews, LeAnna (Rudd) Anderson and Tim, Alfred Dell Rudd, Austin Benjamin Ramsey, Steven Dewayne Odom and Maggie,  Tamara (Gardner) Mimms and Joshua, Laura (VanPietersom) Wagner, Robert “Bobby” VanPietersom and Rebecca.There are also numerous great-nieces and great nephews and their children.

Johnnie had a life she lived only as she could. She started singing in church with her sister Wanda playing the piano for her when she was a teenager, she also sang with little Ray Melton in Panama City in the 70’s. But her favorite audience was Jamie, LeAnna, and Dell in the backseat of the car as she and her sister Sue would harmonize all the way home from Panama City.

Johnnie’s family mourn their loss but know that she has been made whole and is no longer sick or in pain and for that they celebrate.

Services will be held at Beach Baptist Chapel on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. The visitation will be at 11:00am EST with funeral services to follow at 12:00pm EST.

Arrangements are entrusted to the caring staff of Comforter Funeral Home in Port St. Joe, Florida.