Hershel Fulton Johnson passed away on January 27, 2021, at his home in Canton. A native of Noxapater, Hershel spent his adult life in service to the people of Mississippi. He began his career with Farmers’ Home Administration (FmHA) in Noxubee county. Hershel went on to serve in the Attala, Hancock, and Itawamba county offices where he helped individual farmers, low-income families, and seniors in rural areas get the financial assistance they needed. Because of his exemplary record, he was promoted to the district level, serving offices in Coahoma and Newton where he facilitated the construction of multi-family homes and ensured that residents of the district had reliable and safe water and utility systems. His performance gained the attention of senior Department of Agriculture officials who asked Hershel to come to the state office in Jackson where he led both the Rural Business and Utility Service Program divisions. He received numerous performance awards while employed at FmHA. Hershel has lived a life not only of service, but also of excellence. This began as a young man who was active in the Noxapater High School (NHS) Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H Club. He earned the State FFA degree and served in every elected office of the NHS 4-H Club and on the state 4-H Council. The Mississippi 4-H named him an All-Star and he received a leadership award at the state 4-H Congress. Interested in all things agricultural, Hershel showed an early passion for dairy science. As a young teenager, he bought his first registered Jersey heifer which he showed at local and district competitions. His herd was registered with the American Jersey Cattle Club, where he was part of the Herd Roundtable while in high school. Hershel used his knowledge and experience to serve on several dairy judging teams, including at the National Dairy Show in Memphis. After graduation from East Central Junior College, Hershel went on to pursue a bachelor of science degree from Mississippi State University in dairy science. He was part of the university’s Dairy Club and the Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Team. Hershel‘s educational experience was not limited to the classroom, however. Working his way through college, Hershel and several other students lived in an apartment above the dairy barn and had responsibility for the herd. These fellow students remained lifelong friends. Although he left Starkville after graduation, Hershel remained a devoted Bulldog fan and ensured that his children and grandsons followed this family tradition! After obtaining his degree, Hershel began dairy and agronomy research at the Black Belt Experiment Station in Brooksville. While there he received the Master Dairyman Award and contributed articles to Mississippi Farm Research journal and Farm and Ranch magazine. Hershel was also a member of the American Society of Agronomy. After completing his military service at Fort Jackson, Hershel remained in the Mississippi National Guard for a number of years. During the Berlin Wall crisis of 1961, he was recalled to active duty and dispatched to Fort Polk, Louisiana. Apart from his busy professional life, Hershel was always a contributing member of his community. He held various offices for Lions clubs in several towns in which he lived and was an committed Meals on Wheels volunteer in New Albany. From childhood, Hershel was an active church member. He served in various leadership positions in the churches he attended and was, most recently, a member of Madison United Methodist. Hershel’s greatest joy in life was his family. He was a devoted husband and proud father, but his two grandsons were extra special blessings. Hershel was preceded in death by his parents, Beamon and Margaret Fulton Johnson. He is survived by his wife Wanda Kinard Johnson, daughter Julianne Paunescu (Razvan), son David Johnson (Tonja), grandsons Hank and Ned Johnson, sister Janell Johnson, brother-in-law Edwin Kinard (Maxine), sister-in-law Lynda Kinard Wingfield (Clinton), nieces, nephews, and cousins. All who knew him remarked on Hershel’s humility and the kindness and respect with which he treated everyone he met. Hershel’s life can best be summed up in the words of a family member, “Hershel is the barometer by which we describe the men we meet in our lives. They are either so good they remind us of Hershel or have a long way to go to be anything like Hershel.” In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be given to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (1500 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266) or Gateway Rescue Mission (PO Box 3763, Jackson, MS 39207). A memorial service will be held at a later date.