Leonard Joseph Johnson Sr.

L E O N A R D J O S E P H J O H N S O N, S R.

Leonard Joseph Johnson was born under the name “LJ Johnson” on February 3, 1930 in D’Lo, Mississippi to Fred and Lena Johnson. He had seven (7) siblings, Elzie, Irie Lee, Marietta, Minnie Lee, Emma Ree, Renzo, and Loree. He attended school in Piney Woods, Mississippi where he and his two oldest siblings, Elzie and Irie lee would make the three (3) mile journey by foot to attend the Piney Woods School. At the age of 10 his beloved mother Lena would pass away suddenly which left his father Fred to raise him and his siblings alone with the occasional help of his grandmother, “Grandma Kelly”.

In 1947 at the age of 17, he made his way to Jackson, Mississippi where he went to tend to his Father Fred who was in the hospital for a long-term stay. Because of the extended stay, “LJ” sought employment and found work at the Edwards Hotel (now known as the Capital Mills Hilton). It is here that he met his future wife, Lula Parker. He was a bus boy and she was a salad girl and elevator operator. Several years would go by before they married. After leaving Jackson, Ms., he made his way briefly to New Orleans, La before following his father again to Houma, LA for work. It is here where he bore a son Stephen through a brief relationship with a local girl he met. As time went on, he found his way back in New Orleans where several of his siblings had migrated from D’Lo. After reconnecting with Lula during a brief visit to Jackson, Mississippi, they got married and started a life in New Orleans. In 1951 “LJ” and his new wife Lula were baptized in the Catholic faith at Corpus Christi Church. He needed a formal name for the baptismal papers, so it is at this time that his new wife Lula formally had his name changed from “LJ” Johnson to Leonard Joseph Johnson, Sr.

From the union of Lula and Leonard, they bore 5 children (Gloria, Nadine, Leonard Joseph Jr., Valerie, and Angela). Through a series of moves, they would eventually settle into a dream single family home in 1964 located at 2622 Havana Street directly across the street from the renowned St. Augustine High School. In his 20’s and 30’s as a 7th Ward resident, Leonard Sr. would spend his past time at the Autocrat Club on St. Benard Ave., the Zulu Club and various community events with Corpus Christi Church. The children grew up listening to the daily practice of St. Augustine Marching 100 band and the weekly pep rallies. The home was a very popular hangout for the Johnson children and all of their friends for many years. The union of Lula and LJ however, would end after 17 years of marriage.

Leonard Joseph Johnson, Sr was a self-made business man. Although his education took him up to the ninth grade, his entrepreneurial spirit was larger than life. He would spend over 70 years in the trucking industry. He started off hauling magazines, comic books and newspapers for a local New Orleans publishing company off of Downman Rd. He would then get a dump truck and haul trash for Schwegmann Supermarket and Robert Hall department store below the I-10 High rise bridge. From those meager beginnings, his career would evolve into a lucrative trucking business hauling sand, gravel and dirt to various chemical plants (like Shell Oil, Dow Chemical and a host of other oil & gas conglomerates) along the River Road of St. Charles Parish. His business would eventually grow to hire drivers for his fleet of trucks and other equipment. He would retire after an unfortunate accident at the age of 81.

While working his trucking business in St. Charles parish, he would meet and marry the second love of his life, Merline Smith. From that union he bore 2 children (Stacy and Leonard (Lenny). He also lovingly adopted Merline’s other 8 children as his own (Sheridan Sr., Mutana, Dollinda, Patty, Rydell, Priscilla, Percy and Oriann). In 1980, Leonard and Merline would move from their smaller home on 2nd Ave to 504 St. Rose Ave., a spacious home with a very large front yard for all the kids and grands to roam. Numerous family events and reunions would be held over the decades. Leonard’s life with Merline on St. Rose Avenue was filled with love and centered around his 15 children and over 200+ grand, great and great great grandchildren. He adored the children so much, he created an annual holiday for them, called “Grandkids Day”. The children marveled and adored their grandpa for creating this holiday, as he would go all out and bring in a Moonwalk, waterslide, popcorn machine, train and real train conductor. The train not only drove the circular drive of the home, but also often drove down the street and through the neighborhood, sometimes going as far as to the River Road (stand up all the now grown successful young adults that remember and can appreciate Poppa’s Grand Kids day)! In his spare time, Leonard would often make trips to California to spend time with his sisters and their children. He also reconvened his association with the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure club, became an Associate member, attended the balls and rode several years in the Diamond Cutter’s Krewe. Through that experience, he purchased his own Float, parked it year round in front of his massive front yard and found yet another way to bring his family together by riding annually in the Truck Parade float under various themes, i.e. Batman, Shrek, Cleopatra etc.), Needless to say, he loved Carnival, loved a good party and even remodeled his den into a party room, calling it “LJ’s Den”.

In addition to his life with his beloved Merline, Leonard was very active in St. Charles Parish politics and was on a first name basis with many of the officials and politicians in the area. Living on the main street in St. Rose, everyone would blow their horn whenever he was outside tending to his lawn, riding his mower or adjusting his bird houses. He would often wave and not look up because he was so popular and so many cars would blow when he was outside it just became routine!

In 2015, his marriage to Merline would end after 41 years when she succumbed to a battle with cancer. Shortly, thereafter he would move to Texas where he would spend his remaining years with his children from the union of his first marriage to Lula. The children, great and great grands adored every day they had to spend with him. The children’s friends came to know him and they adored him as well. He enjoyed his ten (10) facebook accounts (because he could never remember his passwords), talking daily to his niece Angelita in Minnesota, smoking his 2-3 cigarettes a day and loved a good glass of wine and a Whataburger hamburger. He even enjoyed dancing to his favorite rap song “Cut it”!

Leonard Joseph Johnson, Sr. was the eldest living member of the entire Johnson family around the country. He was loved and adored by his children, his grands, great grands, great great grands as well as the children of his predeceased siblings and their families. He was granted his Angel’s wings on April 20th, 2023 and was preceded in death by his wife Merline Johnson, parents Fred and Lena Johnson, siblings Elzie, Irie Lee, Renzo, Minnie Lee, Marietta, Emma Ree, sons Stephen and Rydell, son-in-laws, Mack Patterson, Anthony Jones, Sr., Milan Cloud, Raymond Sheppard and Byron Cleggett, granddaughter Orishawn Jones and great grandson, Caron Harris.

Leonard (LJ) was everyone’s dad. He will be sorely missed, but will live on in our hearts and minds until we meet again. He leaves to cherish his memories to his sister, Loree Johnson, children Gloria Rivarde, Nadine Sheppard (late Raymond Sheppard), Leonard Johnson, Jr., Valerie Cleggett (late Byron Cleggett), Angela Cloud (late Milan Cloud), Sheridon Smith, Sr. (Gail), Mutana Jones (late Anthony Jones), Dollinda Scott (Tommy), Patrice Wesco (George), Leonard “Lenny” Johnson (Andrea), Stacy Smith, Priscilla Brumfield (Timmy), Percy Smith, Orion Holmes, his first wife, Lula Temper (Robert) and a host of nieces, nephews, grand, great grands, and great great grandkids as well as a host of in-laws and long-time neighbors and friends.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

MATTHEW 28:30

A visitation for Leonard will be held Friday, May 12, 2023 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Chapel of Eternal Peace Funeral Home, 2454 S Dairy Ashford, Houston, Texas 77077. A visitation will occur Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Chapel of Eternal Peace, 2454 S Dairy Ashford, Houston, Texas 77077. A funeral service will occur Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. A burial will occur Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM.

A repast will occur Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, at 14418 Stone Park Rd., Missouri City, TX 77489.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkwestheimer.com for the Johnson family.