John Thomas ((Johnny)) Harrison

John Thomas “Johnny” Harrison, born January 6, 1948, in Morristown, TN, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on July 16, 2025, at Ft. Sanders Medical Center in Knoxville after a courageous battle with COVID pneumonia. He grew up in Morristown, TN, before spending his high school years on the family farm in the Point Pleasant community in Cocke County, TN. He graduated from Morristown High School in 1966 where he was a standout basketball player. After high school, he had a short stint at ETSU before settling in Morristown and taking a job with South Central Bell, where he spent the entirety of his working life, eventually retiring from BellSouth, during which time he developed numerous lifelong, cherished friendships with many of his co-workers. 

He was married to his loving, devoted wife and lifelong companion, Sherry Olson, to whom he was married for 47 years. Since his retirement in 2004, he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, working on the family farm, traveling with Sherry to their favorite vacation spot in Kure Beach, NC, and solving daily puzzles and trivia games. He was a mechanical whiz and could do anything with his hands, from auto repair to home construction. He was honest to a fault, trustworthy, generous, hard-working and dedicated to his friends and family. He never met a stranger. To know him was to like him and to know him well was to love him. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Viola Harrison; his sisters, Rochelle (Nils) Seberg and C. Jane Harrison, brother Porter Harrison, and grandson, Kent Harrison. 

He is survived by his wife, Sherry Olson Harrison; his sons Eric (Teresa) Harrison and Clint (Kim) Harrison of Morristown, his brother, Richard (Steve) Harrison of Alexandria, VA, sister in law Peggy Harrison of Fredrick, MD; brother in law, Eddie Olson of Morristown, brother in law and sister in law Steve and Renee Kidd of Knoxville, brother in law Joseph Harrison of Knoxville; nephew Scott Harrison of Maryland, niece Amy Harrison Dudrow of Maryland; nephew Cody (Miranda) Kidd of South Carolina, Danielle (Anthony) Keith of Knoxville; cousins Frank (Debra) Williams of Morristown; Johnny (Pam) Williams of Arkansas; Stan (Beverly) Johnson of Morristown; Phyllis McDaniels of Germantown, TN; grandchildren Jordan Barnes of Knoxville and Ella, Grace and Jay Harrison of Morristown, Tara Wilkin of Johnson City, TN, who he loved like a granddaughter, and many other great nieces, nephews and extended family. He is also survived by his very special friends Pansy Wallace and Nancy Green, and many others. 

The family would like to extend special thanks to his trusted medical caregivers, Dr. Ward Phillips and his team at Phillips Medical Group, Dr. Wahid Hanna and NP Lauren Newman at UT Oncology, and the team at Ft. Sanders Specialty Select Hospital who cared for and comforted him in his final days. 

The family will receive friends on Sunday, July 20, 2025, from 2 – 3 p.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church in Morristown. A memorial service will follow immediately afterward. 

Arrangements by Allen Funeral Home. 

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