Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson was born on May 13, 1935 to the late Jack and Rosa (McKnight) Johnson on St. Helena Island, South Carolina. He passed away at the age of 85 on Friday, February 19, 2021. Robert accepted Christ early in his life at Orange Grove Baptist Church and he enjoyed school and life around numerous relatives. Robert graduated from St. Helena High School in 1954 and was subsequently drafted into the U.S. Army. Robert trained in Augusta, Georgia and Fort Sam Houston, Houston, Texas. Upon completing training for the Medical Corps, he was sent to Paris and Southern France for eighteen months. Upon returning to South Carolina, Robert, knowing that agricultural life was not for him, began pursuing his education at Saint Paul’s College in Lawrenceville, Virginia in August 1956. At Saint Paul’s College, Robert played football and was initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Delta Lambda Chapter in 1959. It was at Saint Paul’s College where Robert met his sweetheart, Ann Taylor Smith, whom he would wed in 1962 and would remain a committed husband for 45 years until Ann’s death in 2007. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Education from Saint Paul’s College in 1961, Robert was employed with the Federal Government, retiring as a Quality Control Specialist for the Defense Personnel Support Center in 1991. Robert and Ann lived in Washington, D.C., Warren, Ohio, and Willingboro, New Jersey while raising their family. Spending most of his years in New Jersey (1972 -1999), Robert was active with his fraternity, becoming a charter member of the Willingboro-Ft. Dix-McGuire Alumni Chapter and he was the treasurer for the Willingboro Branch of the NAACP for many years. During his membership at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Burlington, New Jersey, Robert was an assistant Sunday School teacher in the Adult #1 Class for over 20 years, charter member of the Quest Christian Outreach Program, Senior Usher Board member and trustee. He was a substitute teacher in the middle and high schools in the Burlington Township School district and was also a paraprofessional for a preschool class in the same district before eventually retiring in Fredericksburg, Virginia together with Ann. In Virginia, he and Ann became members of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Fredericksburg and Robert became active as a member of the Fredericksburg (VA) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. During his retirement years, Robert fellowshipped with friends, family, fraternity brothers, loved fishing, attended alumni events and high school reunions, studied his Bible and rooted for his favorite Philadelphia sports teams. You could always count on Robert to be supportive of his loved ones in any of their endeavors. In 2012, Robert returned home to St. Helena Island, South Carolina with his second wife to be amongst family and friends. He was a charter member of the Beaufort-Jasper-Hilton Head Alumni Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., where he was able to continue his fellowship a few times virtually while out of state. Robert spent the last fifteen months of his life at the residence of his daughter, Dena, and her family in Lawrenceville, Georgia as his health declined. Robert is preceded in death by his siblings, Robbie Bolles, Annie “Willie Mae” Coy, Glara Ricks, Jack Johnson, Jr. and Ezekiel Johnson. Robert is survived by his sons, Theryon (Caraliss) Sampson, Terry and Darryl Johnson; daughters, Gail (Herbert) Graves, Sheryl Forte and Dena Moore (Russell) Johnson; grandsons, Timothy and Nicholas Graves, Dane, Royce, Korey and Russell Johnson, Theryon Sampson, Jr., Kenneth Nichols, Jared Moore and Bryce Forte; granddaughters, Shannon and Brandi Graves and Nia Moore; great-grandchildren, Zion and Zane Brooks, Zuri Awuku and Azurayi Graves; his siblings, Ruth Archer of Shelby, MS, Eddie Johnson of St. Helena Island, SC, and Julia Ealy of Lowell, MA; one aunt, Sadie Jenkins of St. Helena Island, SC; special cousins, Maebelle Johnson and Orrie “Earnice” Williams; special niece, Martha Johnson; a host of nephews, nieces and cousins, goddaughter, Leah DeCosta; special caregiver, Betty Carter; friends and beloved fraternity brothers.

Tributes

Robert Johnson

May 13, 1935 - February 19, 2021