Geraldine Westberry Johnson

Geraldine (Gerry) Ollie Westberry Johnson, 83, of Cotton, Georgia died in the early am of Sunday, January 29, 2012 after a brief illness. Born November 18, 1928 in Brunswick, GA to the late Ollie Otis and Ilah Harmon Westberry, she was a 1946 graduate of Valdosta High School who married her high school sweetheart, the late William F. (Bill) Johnson, Jr. The two enjoyed a lifelong marriage that spanned 6 decades and produced 3 children, 6 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. She attended Albany Junior College and both Central Piedmont College and Queen's College while she and Bill lived in Charlotte, NC. Her working life was as a school teacher, an executive secretary, office management and bookkeeping supervisor for a major grocery retailer. Her true life's passion, though, was as a genealogist which culminated after 34 years of meticulous research in the publication of "Reverend Moses Westberry and His Decendents," a tome of over 1, 100 pages! Her face was well known in most of the libraries between Valdosta and Atlanta.
Mrs. Johnson was a very intelligent woman who was a voracious reader and lifelong learner and enjoyed arts and crafts projects, gardening and all forms of music particularly piano. She especially treasured the time spent watching her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren learn and grow. Mrs. Johnson was a member of the Harmony Baptist Church.
She was predeceased by her beloved sister, Donnie Virginia Westberry Bynum and her devoted husband Bill as well as Belle Polk and Sonny and Bobbie Stephenson, her lifelong best friends in this world. She is survived by her three children and their spouses, MSgt. USAF (Ret.) William F. Johnson, III and Janet Johnson of Cotton, Carol and Tom Giddens of Kennesaw and J. Steven Johnson, MD of Thomasville, grandchildren and their spouses, Mitzi Johnson Howell and Joey Howell, Andrew and Cassie Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Casey Giddens, Kelly Giddens and Zak Johnson, great grandchildren, Taylor and Dylan Howell, Dallas and Mike Howell, and Shelley, Drew, Daniel, Matthew and Naomi Johnson, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Arminda Morrison of Valdosta, Betty Greene of Rome, Nancy and Jack Allen of Valdosta, and Jim Brantley of Valdosta, Thomas and Margie Johnson of Valdosta, Robert and Peggy Johnson of Brooks County, numerous nieces and nephews and lifelong friend, Joe Polk of Douglas.
Family will receive friends on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 from 10-11:00 am followed by services to be held in the chapel at Carson McLane Funeral Home, 2215 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31602, (229) 242-5544. Burial will follow in Sunset Hill Cemetery, 1100 N. Oak St. Condolences may be conveyed online at www.mclanecares.com. Carson McLane Funeral Home.




Funeral Home:
Carson McLane Funeral Home
2215 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA
US 31602