Dr. Lawrence Johnston "Doc"

Dr. Jerry Lawrence “Doc” Johnston, Jr., age 63, a lifelong resident of Troy, Alabama, passed away Wednesday, April 9, 2025. A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. at the First Methodist Church Troy with Reverend Steve Winton officiating. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be John Collier, Johnny Coston, Dr. Ben Smith, Dr. Clark Garrett, K.T. Cole, and John English. The family will receive friends from 1 – 2:30 p.m. at the church.  

It's really beautiful out there. Out yonder in the crisp, open air. Out where the wild things roam across rugged terrain. Out where nature and solace meet at the first peek of orange light on the horizon. Out where Doc welcomed the blessings and adventures of each new day. He was born longing for the quest of something beautiful and exotic and thrilling. It started early when his first, and maybe most important words, uttered were “fish pole” (certainly music to his father’s ears as he too shared a passion for some of nature’s finest explorations behind a fishing pole). With one good cast, young Lawrence was reeling with excitement for all that could come next. Little did he know just how adventurous it would be.  

Doc took to turkey tours beneath the blue skies of Montana, hiked the Brooks Mountain Range in Alaska in pursuit of a rare Dall sheep, combed the hollers of Colorado for a strapping bull elk, waded the icy sloughs of North Dakota to lure migrating waterfowl, and even dropped some lines deep into South American waterways. Destination hunts were always a treat, but Doc didn’t discriminate. He appreciated his south Alabama surrounds equally and never missed an opportunity to yelp-up a tom or biding the time for a draw from the quiver and tactical release of arrow toward a coveted Pike County whitetail.  

Doc managed to slip in some time for serious ventures too. He was an honorable graduate with the Pike Liberal Arts School Class of 1979, and he went on to study and graduate from the Auburn Veterinary Program in 1990. In 1992, he opened Pike Animal Hospital from where he dedicated more than 30 years of quality and compassionate care to the pets of Pike and surrounding counties and their people. Doc was a gifted surgeon and skilled examiner. He covered the gamut of critters people love. From treating tarantulas and lemurs to kittens and old, good dogs, Doc had a special way with them all. In practice, he most appreciated seeing the relationships between the people and their pets and how they grew as a family through the years.  

Outside of the clinic, Doc was a devout family man. He garnered the prestigious grandfather title of “Big Dog” and loved to dote on Ashley and Anise who he called “my girls.” His wanderlust was contagious and at the core of the Johnston’s family goal to travel all 50 states before Anise graduated high school. They mustered excursions across 21 states, with a few opportunistic hunts sprinkled in along the way. Some say Doc was like a cat with nine lives – agile, resilient, exceptionally lucky. He loved. All the way, completely, wholeheartedly. He was loved. And he certainly will shine on as a bright star illuminating the way toward paths worth travel.  

Dr. Johnston is survived by his wife, Ashley Sheffield Johnston; children, Jacob Lawrence Johnston (Panida), Zachary Walker Johnston (Marni), and Anise Rose Johnston; grandchildren, Gregory “Newton” Johnston and Sakina Myra Johnston; mother, Helen Colley Johnston; brothers, James Emory Johnston (Frances) and William Leon Johnston (Heather); parents-in-law, Danny and Debbie Sheffield; brother-in-law, Daniel Sheffield (Jessy); numerous nieces and nephews; and a large extended family. He was preceded in death by his father, Jerry Lawrence “Larry” Johnston, Sr., and sister, Anise Colley Johnston.  

Flowers are appreciated, or memorial contributions can be made in his honor to FMC Troy (213 N 3 Notch Street, Troy, Alabama 36081). Friends and family can share condolences and memories in the guestbook online at www.greenhillsfuneralhome.net. The staff of Green Hills Funeral Home is honored to serve the Johnston family.