Man who coined acronym MARTA dead at 80

ATLANTA - Harold Norris ``Johnny&#39;&#39; Johnson, who coined the acronym MARTA for the Atlanta-area mass transit system, has died. He was 80. <br> <br> Johnson died Thursday at Piedmont Hospital of complications from pancreatitis. The funeral was scheduled Sunday. <br> <br> Johnson was the second person hired by the agency in 1966, and in an early planning meeting he came up with the name MARTA, short for Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. He served as executive secretary to three general managers and worked for MARTA until his death. <br> <br> Friends and relatives said Johnson was extremely loyal to the transit system. <br> <br> ``His Buick Regal had practically no mileage on it,&#39;&#39; said his daughter, Phyllis Jeanne Langley of Norcross. ``It just collected dust and pollen.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Flags at MARTA facilities were to fly at half-staff Monday, and bus destination signs were to read ``In Memory of Johnny.&#39;&#39;