Solina M. Johnson

Solina McWhirter Payne Johnson of the District of Columbia, passed away on May 3, 2023 after an extended battle with Dementia. Solina was born on July 11, 1941 to Alice Lenel McWhirter and Solomon Payne in Washington, DC. She attended Garnett Patterson Junior High School and graduated from Spingarn High School in 1959. She began working for the Bell Atlantic phone company as an operator and later began employment in the government as a GS-1 Administrative Clerk. She ended her government career as a GS-13, Personnel Classification Specialist for the DC Government. She was a Special Assistant in the DC Department of Environmental Services and a Personnel Classifier for the federal government. She went on to work as a Real Estate Agent for Caldwell Banker, and as a Teachers Aid at Eleanor Roosevelt Hight School in charge of distance learning operations.

In 1958 Solina met William “Bill” C. Johnson, Jr. on 1550 Park Road, in Northeast Washington, DC. Solina and Bill married on July 3, 1961, and became the proud parents of Sonja Marie Johnson in 1966.

In 2006, Solina retired and spent her time fishing, dancing, singing with the church choir, antique shopping, and attending her beloved grandson David’s athletic events. She will be remembered for her infectious laughter, serious dance moves, singing at local nursing homes, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and helping the downtrodden. She made the best macaroni and cheese, baked beans and corn pudding. She loved her family with all her heart. She never met a stranger. We will always remember the way she sang “How Great Thou Art”.

Solina was predeceased by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Williams C. Johnson, her daughter, Sonja M. Williams, her son-in-law, Dwight L. Williams and her grandson, David S. Williams.

The celebration of life memorial service will be held on May 19, 2023 at Kingdom Fellowship AME Church, 11710 Beltsville Drive, Calverton, MD, 20705. Flowers or tax-deductible donations to www.LoveSavers.org are welcome. LoveSavers International, Inc. is a non-profit organization that promotes faith-based women’s empowerment, and healthy life and love skills development. Donation receipts will be provided at the memorial service and online at www.lovesavers.org.