Jasper “Julio” Johnson died on July 27, 2021, far too young at the age of 38. He left behind three children and one grandson.
I first met Jasper when he was a senior at Simmons High School in Hollandale, Mississippi. I was an English teacher and the assistant basketball coach under legendary George Willis.
We won a state championship that year and Jasper was a Dandy Dozen. He would go on to play at the University of Southern Mississippi, Delta State University, and have a long professional career overseas, most notably in South Korea.
As great a basketball player as Jasper was, he was a far better person.
To help process his passing, several of his teammates from that championship year and I got together via Zoom. My idea was that we could share memories of Jasper that his family, especially his three children, would appreciate. From there we started reminiscing about that championship season and Mr. Willis, who passed away in 2018.
My guests for the conversation were Larry “LB” Brown, Ricky Johnson, Pat White, and Jeremy “Me-Me” Smith.
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43. Remembering Jasper Johnson