Martha Ann Johnson

Born March 11, 1937 in Carrboro, NC to Romey Gilmore Cheek and Dallie Espran Mann, Martha graduated from Chapel Hill High School in 1955 as President of the Student Court and voted female student Most Likely to Succeed. She attended the University of North Carolina on an academic scholarship and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education in 1959. She met William Rhodes Johnson during their last semester at UNC, and she and Bill were married December 21, 1960 in Carrboro United Methodist Church. They were later sealed in the LDS Salt Lake Temple in June 1966.

Martha taught for 26 years, in Dobbs Ferry, NY, and in Southern Pines, Greensboro, Goldsboro, Sanford, and Lumberton in NC. She taught each of grades 1-6 at various times, but mostly 2nd grade.

She was active in the LDS Church, serving in teaching and leadership roles with children, young women, and adult women, and as choir director and chorister for several congregations. She was an inspiration and role model to many and exemplary in her service.

She was elegant and fashionable, always done up, carried herself so well, perfect posture, head high, shoulders back and always a smile, confident and engaging, and inspired confidence in others.

Martha loved movies and music. She sang and played the piano, and helped form a singing group in her late 20s that performed to raise funds to build a church.

She was always more concerned about others than herself, always offered to help, made sure visitors were comfortable and bellies full or thirsts quenched. Kind and unfailingly nice to all.

Martha had a real sarcastic, playful sense of humor, and used it readily to break the ice and engage in conversation and put others at ease.

She loved to travel with Bill and the kids or grandkids or parents or siblings. They visited 48 states and every Canadian province but one, museums and historical sites and national parks and beaches and mountains, amusement parks, major cities.

Martha was a lifelong UNC sports fan, watched or listened to every football and basketball game, closed her eyes during free throws and had to watch on tape-delay sometimes. She knew basketball as well as anyone.

Martha loved her family above all, was a fantastic mother and even better grandmother, patient, present, proactive, focused, loving, never raised a voice or hand. She cared for aunts and siblings and parents and children for years when they were ill or needed assistance.

She lived a rich, beautiful, long life of service to family and friends and church and students, loved and admired by and inspiring to all who knew her.

Martha is survived by her son, William Johnson, Jr.; her grandchildren, Courtney (Jennifer) Hill, David (Leda) Johnson, and Ava, Luke, and Logan Neuenswander; and her great-grandchildren, Jackson, Caroline, Bracey, and Whitt Howard and Savannah and William Johnson. She was finally reunited with her eternal soulmate Bill, and was also preceded in death by her daughter Kelly (David) Neuenswander; her parents; and her siblings Elaine Cheek, Ralph (Carolyn) Cheek, Hilda (William) Leinbach, and Esther (Robert) Watson.