Donchester Johnson says he wants to bring integrity to Dougherty County coroner’s office

ALBANY — Donchester “Pete” Johnson, a funeral service apprentice and attendant at Martin Luther King Memorial Chapel, is challenging incumbent Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler for his position in the May24 Democratic primary.

An Albany native, and son of Dougherty County Board of Education candidate Geraldine Hudley, Johnson attended St. Teresa’s School through the eighth grade and graduated from Westover High School. He has been working in some capacity in the funeral business since he was in the ninth grade.

Johnson lived in Atlanta for a short time but came back to Albany to take care of one of his grandparents. He pursued higher education at Albany State University but did not finish. He is currently working toward a mass communication degree from Darton State College.

Johnson said he is running for coroner to bring a strong sense of integrity into the office, which is involved with identifying remains and investigating cause and manner of death.

The funeral service apprentice said he can provide clear understanding, resolution and patience to families if he is elected to the position. He was motivated to qualify for election after listening to the families he has worked with during their most vulnerable moments.

“There are a lot of questions family members need answered that haven’t been answered in a timely fashion,” he said.

Johnson said his friendly overtone to all people, pressed upon him by his mother and grandmother, is what makes him stand out.

“Being friendly to someone takes you a long way,” he said.

Since his mother is also running for election, Johnson and Hudley find themselves introducing each other often when they are in public, reflecting their support for one another.

“Every mother I know supports their child like every child supports their mother,” Johnson said.

If elected, Johnson said he would like to be involved in simulating emergency situations with area public safety agencies.

“I do believe the coroner should head that particular plan, because when death is involved, (the coroner) comes in anyway,” he said.

Johnson said he would also like to see a smoother system implemented for transferring bodies to and from facilities, such as hospitals and funeral homes. Working in a funeral home, he said there have been some cases he has dealt with in which certain obstacles, such as out-of-place paperwork, can make it difficult to move a body as quickly as would be desirable.

“Sometimes it is difficult to go from the hospital to the funeral home,” he said. “It is not as good as it can be.”

After Johnson announced his run, The Albany Herald obtained court documents showing traffic tickets, a gambling charge and child support contempt on his record in the timeframe between 1992 and 2012. When The Herald asked him to address those documents on behalf of those who might question his character, he responded by saying the traffic charges have been taken care of and that he is currently fulfilling his child support obligation.

Johnson also reflected on the counsel he received from his mother, who said there may be people ready to throw everything, including the kitchen sink, at him during his campaign. He further added that anyone who claims they don’t have at least one mark on their record is being deceptive.

“I have no intent to deceive anyone,” he said.

He also said he would always be accessible to the public and strive to give them a satisfactory answer.

“A vote for Donchester ‘Pete’ Johnson will be a vote for you,” he said. “Never, ever, ever feel like I am not approachable. Always approach me, always ask a question.”

Johnson, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, has affiliations including the Georgia Funeral Services and Practitioners Association, National Funeral Directors Association, National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association and the Greater Grace Church of God in Christ.