Tributes

Lillie Mae Kelly known as Mother Johnson before departing this life, was introduced to the world on February 28, 1941. Her parents were David Kelly, a truck driver & logger, and Sadie Lee, a homemaker. Mother Johnson discovered at 16 years old that a man by the name of Abel Banks was her biological father. Unfortunately, her father Dave, as many called him, departed life at an early age. Subsequently, her loving mom, Sadie went home to glory at only 20 years old. Also, her biological father, Abel Banks, soon lost his life as well. So much young Lillie had to endure back then, but her story is just beginning. Mother Johnson’s maternal grandmother, Ethel Lee, took her in where changes slowly begin to happen. At the age of 4 years old, Lillie asked at her mother’s funeral “Why are they putting dirt on her mama?” Her grandmother’s response was that “Your mom is gone home to be with the Lord.” Now this was hard for a child to understand, but young Lillie at that time said that she “wanted to go home to the Lord too.” Her grandmother explained that “God had things for her to do and when He was ready to call her home, she would go to be with Him.” Mother Johnson was very advanced for her age. She talked to the Lord daily and asked him to make her into the woman He wanted her to grow up to be in life. By the age of 15, Mother Johnson was a Senior at Brighton High School in Bessemer, Alabama. Her curriculum was all advanced classes where she excelled and graduated with honors in her 1957 class as the youngest Valedictorian in and around the county school districts. Upon completion she was offered several scholarships, including a scholarship to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. However, due to segregation and being an all-male college her grandfather, which was well known in the area, did not want her to pursue this given opportunity due to violence she would face. Also by this time she had met a young man, our beloved late father Robert C. Johnson, through some mutual friends and after dating for a while, she later married him and became a young mother at the age of 17. By the age of 19 she confessed Christ as her Lord & Savior and began to work in the church as an usher, choir member and the women’s axillary club. By the age of 20, although a wife and a mother of two, and during the years of 1963 through 1971, with six children by this time, Mother Johnson found time to work with the NAACP and Welfare Rights. She was selected by two Deacons in her church to work for both groups because she was very outspoken, dedicated and strong in her values and beliefs. The NAACP Association Representative approached her and elected her to assist at the polls as a Watcher, currently is known as an election observer today. This was very daring, dangerous and challenging. Often, she had to travel to Selma and Thomaston, Alabama and something to Green and Hale Counties. But Thanks be to God, she never felt alone on this path. Mother Johnson continued to help her people in her community by taking them to doctor’s appointments, shopping and getting them involved in signing petitions that would help them receive their (A) pensions, (B) ADC/health insurance and (C) Food Stamps-to help them pay for food. With all of this already on her plate as a wife, mother, and advocate for her people, in 1964 she began doing tax returns for family and friends for nearly 40 years. So many of her townspeople, while working on good jobs, were throwing away their W2 statements, not realizing that they were due refunds because they had been told it was just a piece of paper the needed to be signed, but never received any refunds. Many had been told that it was nothing important. H&R Block sent her letters and wanted her to contact them to see if she would be interested in joining the company. She kindly declined their offers for classes and informed them that she was only doing this for her people and was not charging any fee for her services. By election time, she had to be escorted to and from the election polls because by now she had been well known in several counties and some thought that she was becoming a radial. However, these great achievements were being done to help improve life for her family and all the families, especially people of color, in and around her community. By 1971, Mother Johnson had established many of her goals in helping her community, so she now had minimal association with the NAACP, for many things were becoming better. During this next phase in her life, Mother Johnson took several tests and was called to teach in the Marengo County system for 10 years at John Essex High School in Demopolis, Alabama where seven of Mother Johnson’s children attended school. Also while teaching, Mother Johnson was contacted by the Sheriff’s Department to work as an elected Marengo County Official. She was officially elected and became the first back female to work in her county at the election polls. She always stood strong in her beliefs in equal and fair rights. Mother Johnson was proof of God’s work and the plan He has for all of us, like so many other great men and women achievers in the past and present to do great things for the people. Her strong will, her strong belief in God, and her fight for equal rights are just some of the reasons God chose her to do His will and this has been truly inspiring for me, our family and all the other people from our hometown of Alabama to the many people in Michigan who lives have been touched in one way or another by her. This dedicated Christian woman and her love in serving all people around her community continued until she departed this life and went home to be with the Lord on Friday, April 28, 2023. Mother Lillie Mae Johnson was preceded in death by her mother Ms. Sadie Lee; father(s) David Kelly & Able Banks respectively, husband Mr. Robert Curtis Johnson, Sr.; her daughter Mrs. Renee McShay Taylor, and her son Mr. David Charles Johnson, Sr. She leaves to cherish her memories Mr. Robert C. (Roberta) Johnson, Jr. (Dempolis, AL), Mr. Arthur C. Johnson (Enterprise, AL), Mrs. Teresa Hildreth (Tuscaloosa, AL), Mr. Abel T. Johnson & Mr. Kelvin B. Johnson (River Rouge, MI), Ms. Lucian M. (Kenneth) Johnson (River Rouge/Ecorse, MI), Ms. Trisha D. Johnson (Bryan Tye) (Melvindale, MI), Mr. Rodney L. Raby (Dayton, AL), 27 amazing grandchildren, 45 great-grands, 7 great-great grands, three loving goddaughters, Kimberly Allen (Detroit, MI), Lisa Minor (Lincoln Park, MI) and Linda Render (Melvindale, MI). A host of other special godchildren, special cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, her True Spirit of Love Church family and many great friends. Her LOVE for each one of you will last you all a lifetime. May God continue to bless you all.

Tributes

MRS. LILLIE MAE JOHNSON

February 28, 1941 - April 28, 2023