Mr. William A. Johnson Sr.

William Alfred Johnson, Sr., born May 27, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York to John Johnson, Sr. and Ruth Fant, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2025 in his adopted home of Lawrenceville, Georgia. He was 89 years old. William, affectionately called “AJ” or “Al” by his family and close friends, grew up in Brooklyn and met his beloved wife, Sylvia Virginia Powell (affectionately known as Ginger), to whom he was married for 47 years until her passing in 2002. In 1961, Al and Ginger purchased a small ranch home in Westbury, NY in the enclave of New Cassel. There they raised two sons and it is where Al lived until he relocated to Georgia in 2023. In the mid-1970s, Al enrolled at the New York Institute of Technology and received credit for several law enforcement related courses in the Criminal Justice Department. Al was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army and a dedicated member of the New York City Police Department – Housing Bureau, where he served with honor until his retirement in 1981. Al was preceded in death by his parents, John Johnson, Sr. and Ruth Fant; his beloved wife, Sylvia Virginia Johnson (Powell); and his siblings, Lucille Johnson and John Johnson, Jr. Al is survived by his two sons, William A. Johnson, Jr. (Jill), and T. N. Nokware Adesegun, FKA Paul F. Johnson (Jana); four grandchildren, Derick Johnson, Ayodele “Ayo” Adesegun, Jendayi “Jen” Chandler-Adesegun, and Njisane Adesegun; one great-granddaughter, Marlee LaVine; a sister-in-law, Julia “Frankie” Reid; three nieces, Madeline Powell-Avila, Deborah Johnson Hunt, and Brenda Johnson; three nephews, Lawrence Powell, Bryant Reid, and Steve Maxwell; as well as other relatives and cherished family friends, including Evor Ingram, Delois Harris, Wilma Cooper, Sadie McConnell, Lucille Bergie, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Abrams, and Vicki Ellis. Al had a deep love for travel, particularly through cruises, having embarked on over 100 voyages throughout his life. Al’s love for cruising began in the early 70s, when he and his wife, Ginger would save, and take their young children on trips to the Caribbean. Early on, it was easy to find their sons on the ship, as they would often be one of the few African American families on the cruise. Al also had a passion for cooking. Some of his specialties were salmon and macaroni and cheese. Al was also an avid reader, often reading thrillers and crime novels. Following the death of his wife to cancer, Al became a steadfast supporter of charitable organizations dedicated to cancer research, a cause close to his heart. In the latter part of his life, Al was blessed with the support of devoted caregivers in both New York and Georgia, including Evette Gunther-Ricks, Denise Butts, Kaceann, and the personal care home of Sumiko Collins. Their compassionate care and unwavering support brought great comfort during his final years. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to any of the following charitable organizations, the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Cancer Society, or 100 Black Men, in Al’s memory. "Dad, we hope you are already booking your next cruise with the angels in heaven." Memorial Service Live Stream https://vimeo.com/event/5258780 will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 3 PM at Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home, Gwinnett Chapel 914 Scenic Hwy., Lawrenceville, GA 30045. Please express your condolences here on our website. Services entrusted to Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home, Gwinnett Chapel 914 Scenic Hwy., Lawrenceville, GA 30045, 770-338-5558. The Celebration of Life service for Mr. William A. Johnson Sr. will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM. This service will be recorded and streamed live. If the event is interrupted any time due to technical issues, the entire event will be uploaded and available to view later in the day. Please copy and paste the link to share, or simply click on the link to view the event. https://vimeo.com/event/5258780

Tributes

Mr. William A. Johnson Sr.

May 27, 1936 - June 23, 2025