Rebecca Ann Johnson

   Mrs. Rebecca Ann Johnson, 86, of Jackson, Tennessee, passed away on June 22, 2023, after a lengthy yet courageous battle against a debilitating stroke.

   Rebecca was born on March 3, 1937, to Nova Millner Johnson and George Dewey Johnson in the Middleburg community of Henderson County, Tennessee. It was in this community that she attended first grade through fifth grade at Judson School, a one-room schoolhouse where her father taught until the family moved to Scotts Hill in 1947. Rebecca graduated from Scotts Hill High School in 1955, and after attending the University of Tennessee at Martin for one year, she moved to Memphis to work as a physician's assistant to Dr. Carl Marsh.

   Mrs. Rebecca Johnson married her high school sweetheart, Dr. Larry H. Johnson, also of Scotts Hill, Tennessee on January 25, 1958. After marrying, Larry and Rebecca established their home and life in Memphis where they lived, worked, and enjoyed raising their twins, David, and Cathy. Rebecca was especially talented at many things including as a seamstress, fabulous cook, decorator, elegant hostess to family and friends, played the piano, and supported her husband and children in all their work/activities. Rebecca was also involved serving in the Mothers' Club at Harding Academy, the Women's Exchange of Memphis, and the White Station Church of Christ.

   Rebecca Johnson is survived by husband, Dr. Larry Johnson; her children, Dr. David Johnson and wife Stephanie of Jackson, Cathy Burleson and husband, Dr. David Burleson, of Jackson; one sister, Judy Johnson and husband, J.D. Johnson of Lexington, Tennessee, and one younger brother, George T. Johnson and wife, Betty, of Memphis, TN. Surviving children of her siblings are a nephew Jason Johnson (Jennifer) of Lexington and a niece Emilie Johnson Wheeler (Derek) of Charlottesville, VA.

   Most importantly Rebecca will tell you about her 5 grandchildren of whom she was very proud: Catie Burleson Newell (Josh) of Memphis; Jeni Burleson Presley (Chase) of Iowa City, Iowa; Natalie Johnson Hall (Aaron) of Nashville; Will Burleson of Phoenix, AZ, and Jon David Johnson (Mady) of Madison, Mississippi, and 9 great-grandchildren.

   Rebecca was preceded in death by her parents: George and Nova Johnson, and her niece, Susan Michelle Johnson (12 years old) of Lexington, TN. Throughout Susan's treatment at St. Jude Children's Hospital Rebecca was very involved in attending to and supporting her sister's family.

   Rebecca was best known for the encouragement and support she gave to others. She would make sure the family was celebrated on their birthdays and would make every effort to include as many extended family members as possible. While her younger brother (11 years her junior), George Johnson, attended University of Memphis, Rebecca would make sure George had a "home away from home," then as a student and later as a young professional in the business arena of Memphis. A second cousin of Rebecca's, Dr. Nancy Ellis of Memphis, was left with no mother as a young girl. Her first cousin, Imogene Conley, asked Rebecca to be sure her daughter Nancy was well-cared for. It was always Rebecca's aim to include Nancy and her family with the Johnson gatherings. She learned this from cousins Rita Burgess, Doris Milam, Inez Milam, and Mae Beck who made sure Rebecca was well-cared for when she first moved to Memphis to go to work.

   Rebecca deeply loved and cared for her children and grandchildren. Throughout her life she was known for letters written on yellow legal pads when she wanted to pass along some bit of advice or Bible scripture or just a heartfelt message to one of the children. During the years of her stroke, she would ask Larry to call and check on the grandkids. As a truly unselfish soul it bothered her greatly that in her last years, she couldn't do more for the children. We know her greatest gift for them, however, was her never-ending ability to pray for them. And she would.

   Rebecca was known by everyone for taking photographs wherever she would go (before cell phones were so widely used). She would print many of them off, slip them in a notecard with a personal message and mail them to those captured in the photo. For her two children she would prepare photo albums of the year's highlights and present them at each birthday party. It was always a much anticipated and treasured gift.

   Throughout her life, Rebecca loved her involvement in church: growing up she attended Scotts Hill Baptist Church where she occasionally played the piano, in Memphis they attended Highland Street and White Station Churches of Christ, and later when they moved to Jackson, TN to be with the grandchildren, became involved with the Skyline Church of Christ.

   Her love for others was most likely the reason she was so patient in suffering and endured unimaginable discouragement for herself in her last years, just to be able to hear how the children were doing and the anticipation of new great-grandchildren. Her humble spirit and kindness even in the face of her discouragement was evident as she rarely complained and was always thankful for her caregivers and visitors.

   The importance of family and faith in her life will be her lasting legacy, her crowning jewels. She was always hospitable to her family and friends, but, most of all, she served the love of her life, Larry, exceedingly well. Subsequently, his attention to her needs throughout her illness will be remarkable and memorable to all who witnessed.

   The family wants to convey their heartfelt thanks to all those who prayed for her, visited her, sent cards of encouragement and attended to her needs over these past 6 years. Particularly, we are deeply grateful for the dedicated caregivers: Liz Booth, Evelyn VanBuren and Rose McLemore. Rebecca truly loved them for their incredible service to her needs as did we all.

   Rebecca would be honored by any memorials given to be directed to West Tennessee Agape, Church Health Center of Memphis, 2439 Peres Ave. Memphis, TN 38108, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or online at www.stjude.org, or to Jackson Christian School, 832 Country Club Lane, Jackson, TN 38305 or online at www.jcseagles.org.

SERVICES:  A funeral service for Rebecca will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 24, 2023, at Skyline Church of Christ with Dr. Jeff Brown and Rev. Eric Petty officiating.

Burial will follow in the Eason-Johnson family cemetery, Scotts Hill, TN with a committal to be held at 4:00 p.m.

The family will be receiving friends beginning at 12:00 p.m. Saturday and continuing until the service at 2:00 p.m.

Arrington Funeral Directors

 148 W. University Pkwy, Jackson, TN 38305

731.668.1111, www.arringtonfuneraldirectors.com

"Preplanning... it just makes sense."

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