Mattie Louise (Johnson) Warren was born in Lake Providence, Louisiana on August 18, 1938 to Orealis Johnson and Robert Johnson, Sr. She was the fifth child of a happy, hard-working family which included Annie, Edward, Anita, Carl, Gene, Robert, Jr., Ernest, Hasibah and Karen. At the age of 6 in 1944, Mattie Louise traveled to California on the train with her mother and six siblings. Orealis was traveling to California to join her husband, Robert, who was working on the railroad. Together they wanted to start a better life.
Mattie Louise was very proud of her family history and often told the story of how Black Army Soldiers gave her mother, she and her siblings seats in the segregated section of the train as they traveled to California.
Mattie Louise attended Lincoln School in Bakersfield, California where she was a majorette. She went on to attend and graduate from Bakersfield High School in 1956, where she made many lifelong friendships. On April 10, 1959, Mattie Louise was united in holy matrimony with Willie F. Warren. Two children, Yolanda Collean and Jennifer Yvonne were born from this union. On September 18, 1964, Mattie Louise graduated from Bakersfield College in the field of nursing. She was one of only a handful of Black Nursing Students that graduated from the program.
Mattie Louise began her career as a Licensed Vocational Nurse at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, California soon after:
Nursing was Mattie Louise's true passion and calling. Her compassion, empathy and kindness for others was shown through her loving care as an exceptional LVN where she gave great care to her patients. Over Mattie Louise's amazing 30 plus year nursing career, her most rewarding work occurred in the Intensive Care Unit / Cardiac Care Unit at Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield, California. Many families over the years after their loved ones had left the hospital, would stop Mattie Louise in grocery stores, the post office, church or the plaza and tell her she was the best nurse their loved one ever had! As Willie's career with Pacific Gas and Electric Company expanded over their long marriage, Mattie Louise's career also grew by working as an experienced nurse in hospitals and medical centers, all over California including Bakersfield, Fresno, Oakland, Martinez and Chico, California.
As a child, Mattie Louise was baptized at Pleasant View Baptist Church in Bakersfield, California. During her childhood and teenage years she faithfully attended Pleasant View Baptist Church with her father, who was a deacon in the church, along with her mother and her Aunt Onebia every Sunday. Over the years, Mattie Louise held devoted memberships at Allen Temple Church, in Oakland, CA, St John Baptist Church in Bakersfield, CA and Ebenezer Baptist Church in Bakersfield,CA.. Mattie Louise always carried four things in her purse to Sunday service: peppermints to share with her grandchildren and children sitting next to her on the pew, her bible, a small note pad and a writing pen. Mattie Louise ALWAYS took notes about the pastor's message and the scriptures which were cited. She was also an avid reader, and would devour newspapers daily, always seeking knowledge to pass along to her children and grandchildren.
She would clip and save articles about subjects that would help guide them in their daily lives.
Mattie Louise's other passion and calling of her life was her family. As a wife, she doted on Willie, ensuring that their home was always filled with good food, good friends and lots of love. Mattie Louise loved her daughters, and shared with them her wisdom and guidance for life, as well as her love for fashion and shopping and more shopping! But most of all, Mattie Louise's pride and joy were her grandchildren. They gave her such enjoyment and happiness. She always checked in with them to make sure that they were doing well in school, if they needed anything, how they were doing, and just to tell them she loved them
Mattie Louise left us to celebrate her homegoing, and join her parents, two brothers, and a sister on July 2, 2022.
Left to cherish her memories are her beloved husband of 63 years, Willie F. Warren, her daughter Yolanda Collean Blakey and her husband Gary, her daughter Jennifer Yvonne Warren-Smith and her husband Tim, three grandchildren, Christian Blakey, Giovanna Blakey and Mason Smith, siblings Annie Everly, Edward Johnson ( Deloris), Robert Johnson Jr, Ernest Johnson (Marian), Hasibah Rashied and Karen Williams and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, family and friends.
Mattie Louise will be deeply missed, but never forgotten by all who knew and loved her.
Visitation for Mattie Louise (Johnson) Warren will be held on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at Hillcrest Memorial Park 9101 Kern Canyon Road from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Mattie Louise's Homegoing Celebration will be held on Thursday, July 21, 2022 at Hillcrest Memorial Park 9101 Kern Canyon Road at 1:00 pm. Graveside services will immediately follow.
Mattie Louise's Repast/Reception will be held on Thursday, July 21, 2022 at Hodel's Restaurant 5917 Knudsen Dr: at 3:00 pm.
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