Johnny Louis Mickles was born on November 15, 1947 to the union of Johnny E. and Amelia Mickles. He was a graduate of Hayes High School. As a young man living in Birmingham, Alabama, he was a member of the 17th Street AOH Church of God.

Johnny moved to Detroit, Michigan in October of 1966 to work on the assembly line of General Motors. He continued his employment there for twenty-one years. On November 28, 1966, he married Louise Whitman and to this union three children were born: Johnny, Sonya and Shunteh.

In 2006, he moved to Atlanta to be closer to his sister and became a member of Christ Sanctuary Fellow Church under the leadership of Bishop Sammy D. Mulkey. Thoses who knew Johnny knew he loved the freedom of outdoors. He enjoyed listening to his music, talking about his motorcycle riding days, telling jokes and spending time with his children and grandchildren under a "shde tree". When Johnny referred to you as "Captain" or "Bby Girl", he considered you a close friend.

On June 28, 2015, Johnny was called home to be with the Lord. He was preceded in death by: his parents; his grandparents; and one brother, Anthony "Tony" Mickles.

He is survived by: Louise Mickles, the mother of Johnny L. (Nada) Mickles, Sonya D. (Naazir) Abdullah and Shuntet A. Mickles; seven grandchildre, Jabari, Kamaria, Qanaar, Jaffar, Janae, Natasha and Jad'an; one great-grandchild, Zuri; five sisters, Betty Grider, Thelma (Jerome) Clark, Debra Fallon, Marilyn Kennedy and Michelle Mickles; four brothers, Herman Lee (Alice) Mickles, Renzo Mickles, Joe Nathan (Sharon) Mickles and Harold Wayne; a special friend, Jennifer Jackson; and a host of other relatives and friends.