After wildfires damaged Ringgold Baptist Church and nearly destroyed the small town, the Rev. Eldon Earl Johnson and his wife rushed to help their congregation members and others who lost homes and cattle.

Since the January 2006 blazes, the couple's lives had seemed to return to normal.

So their family and others in the community were shocked when Johnson, 69, and Linda Kay Johnson, 61, stood on railroad tracks in Henrietta on Tuesday night and let themselves be hit by a train.

They were happy, and relatives don't believe they had any financial problems or illnesses, said their daughter Melissa Brock.

"We don't have a clue. We've torn the house up trying to find a note," Brock said Thursday.

Clay County Sheriff Kenny Lemons said the train engineer reported seeing the couple embracing on the tracks in Henrietta.

The engineer blew his horn and braked, slowing to 33 mph, Lemons said.

"It was quite evident they had a mutual agreement to meet their fate together," Lemons said, who has seen images from railroad company cameras that recorded the incident. "It's kind of like most suicides where there's no note – the motive may always be unknown."

Lemons said Eldon Johnson had recently been laid off from his job at a mobile home manufacturing plant. He said Johnson, who had been pastor at the church for more than 25 years, was outgoing and well-liked. He said Linda Kay Johnson worked at a fast-food restaurant in Henrietta and always had a friendly smile and chatted with customers.

A memorial service was planned for Monday.

Angela K. Brown,

The Associated Press

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