Board members, employees and associates of Central Alabama Electric Cooperative (CAEC) are saddened by the passing of District 1 Board Trustee C. Milton Johnson on Monday, June 1, 2020. As a longtime friend and Trustee since May 1990, Johnson was an integral part in making this cooperative what it is today. He served as Vice President of the CAEC Board in 1994-95 and Chairman from 1995 until 2002. In his tenure as trustee, Johnson never missed a meeting and was an active, positive presence at cooperative events. Johnson was always proud to represent CAEC and strongly believed that the cooperative made a difference in our communities.

The oldest person to ever serve on the cooperative board, Johnson remembered his family’s home being electrified when he was seven years old. He said the first thing his mother asked for was a washing machine. Johnson realized the importance of power back then and of bringing broadband to the rural communities now to try to keep up with the advancements in technology and help cooperative communities grow. He said that “broadband is the future, and as the board, we are here to serve.”

Johnson, a lifelong resident of the Statesville community in Autauga County, was a retired farmer. He served in the U.S. Army in Korea. Additionally, he served as president of the Autauga-Dallas Farmers Co-op, Dallas Compress, Central Alabama Farmers Co-op, Autauga County Farmers Federation, Autauga County Cattlemen’s Association, Autaugaville Lions Club, and the Autauga Farm Service Agency. He received the Alabama Farm Bureau 1969 Outstanding Young Farm Family Field Crops Division and the Alabama Cotton Farmer of the Year award from Alabama Farmers Magazine in 1973.

The Cooperative respected and appreciated his dedication and insight while serving on the Board. He will be fondly remembered as a leader and friend. He will be missed.