Brenda Marguerite Johnson

BJ was born to Moses Wooden and Mattie Williams and raised in Philadelphia. She attended Dobbins High School, where she was captain of the cheerleaders. After graduating, she joined the Navy in 1963 and did her training in Maryland, where she received “The American Spirit Honor Medal,” the highest medal for a recruit in boot camp and was captain of her company in boot camp. She was stationed in Jacksonville FL, trained as a “personnel man” working in Human Resources, and after 3 years, she went back to Philly and married. She was married for 8 years; the marriage ended in divorce, and they had 2 daughters, Kelly and Marlo. Shortly after divorcing, BJ became employed at WHAT, a Philadelphia radio station, earning her own late night time slot called “Black Rock”. She later transitioned into sales for Xerox and ultimately moved her family to Atlanta in 1979.

She worked with the City of Atlanta under Mayor Maynard Jackson, Jr., as well as with Senator Ralph David Abernathy, III. In 1997, she went into property management and earned her real estate license. She appreciated the particular career paths and the ability to sustain herself and her family.

She retired in 2010 and moved to Campbell Stone Senior Living in 2011. Before the pandemic, she was working a couple of days per week at the nearby Marshalls. She liked the people with whom she worked and meeting the public.

BJ loved trying new things like playing the guitar, harmonica, kazoo, and piano, for her family: this was always a source of entertainment at family gatherings. She loved picnics, and it was her family’s tradition to take spontaneous picnics to any nearby park – just throw together something and go, and she always closed out every family gathering prayer.

1 Corinthians 13 was the first scripture she memorized at the end of elementary school, and she had never forgotten it. She also loved John 3:16, and she tested her grandchildren on it. She sent a text about twice a month to her children, grandchildren, some other relatives, and friends with a Bible verse for encouragement and wanted them to find comfort and peace and to have a personal devotion to God. She wanted them to know that there is peace and comfort waiting for them and that God is real and is there for them, and she desired that her family have a personal relationship with God though she didn't insist that they go to church.

BJ leaned on the Lord until the end, and transitioned peacefully, while surrounded by her loving family.

BJ is predeceased by parents Moses Wooden and Mattie Williams; sister Ernestine Thompson, and brother Poncho.

She is survived by her daughters; Kelly Hann and Marlo Johnson; grandchildren: Kennedy, Jefferson, Zoe, and Davis. Two brothers; Steven and Ricardo Wooden. She leaves behind a host extended relatives, longtime friends and colleagues who have expressed their heartfelt condolences.

The Johnson family sincerely appreciates the love and support that we have received during this time. BJ was the creme de la creme and how blessed we have been to have a taste.