Johnny Clifton Wade, Sr.
Johnny Clifton Wade, Sr., age 67, of Breckenridge, passed away Thursday, June 5, 2025. He resided in Stephens County, Texas. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, June 9, at Wayland Cemetery. Interment will follow under the direction of Morehart Mortuary.
Johnny was born on November 2, 1958, in Olney, Texas, to Robert Ivie Wade and Margrett Duggan Wade McKenzie. Johnny was raised in church and attended Seventh Day Adventist in Alabama as a child. He later attended church at Calvary Baptist in Graham, Texas, and was baptized at Shelton Avenue Baptist Church in Breckenridge, where he took his children. His mother, Margrett, made sure the Wade boys grew up having a relationship with God. The family lived on various ranches in Alabama and Texas, where their father was a ranch foreman.
Johnny was always a very hard-working man. He worked for over 40 years before retiring. He started his career in oilfield construction, then worked on pulling units, and then later became one of the best dozer operators in Stephens County. He owned and operated his own dozer company, Wade Dozer, for many years. He loved being on heavy machinery and he was a fantastic operator on all equipment. His brother James said Johnny did his best work alone.
Johnny Wade had a humble personality, and he was a man of few words. He lived a simple life, and he never needed materialistic things to make him happy. Johnny found joy in his family. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping at the lake with family and friends. Johnny loved the outdoor life.
During his younger years, Johnny was known as a rebel. He was raised in a family of five boys and was highly respected by his siblings due to his fighting abilities. He may have had a mean streak in his younger years, but later in life you could find him volunteering monthly at the local food pantry held at First Methodist Church Breckenridge. He enjoyed helping others and was often seen lending a helping hand to others who were experiencing rough times. Johnny may have seemed “rough around the edges” because of his gruff demeanor, but he had a servant’s heart. In his retirement years he never grew idle. He was always busy repairing motors and small machinery or gathering scrap iron. He was preceded in death by his parents; and six brothers, Bill Wade, Don Wade, Bobby Wade, Ivie Wade, Danny Wade and Richard Whitmire.
Johnny is survived by his two sons, Johnny C. Wade, Jr. and Becky, and William Robert “Billy Bob” Wade and Kim; and two stepdaughters, Christina Warner and Dan, and Jennifer Pearce and Jen. He is also survived by his former spouse and mother of his children, Cindy Bernhardt, who was very dear to him. Johnny had one surviving brother, James Wade and wife Donna; and numerous grandchildren that he loved dearly.
Memorials can be made to Café Love of First Methodist Church Breckenridge and may be left at Morehart Mortuary. Condolences may be made online at www.morehartmortuary.net.
