Elizabeth J Vernon

On December 25, 1933, Elizabeth Ann Johnson was a gift to Maudlean Bozeman Johnson and WK Johnson in Knoxville, TN.

She passed peacefully on January 31, 2026 at the age of 92.

Maudlean died with tuberculosis in 1937 and Mr. Johnson married Ms. Jo Cox who raised Liz from an early age.

Liz went to Baylor College for two years as a Music Major, but moved back to Knoxville where she switched majors and earned a BA in Education. She met Bob Riggins and married.

They moved to West Memphis, AR. where they raised two children,

Mary and Allen. After 20 years of marriage, they divorced. Mom then became extremely active in Alcoholics Anonymous. She met Joe Vernon, and they married while the children were in high school. Joe died in 1981.

Her entire career was teaching Title One reading at Crawfordsville, Arkansas elementary school. She loved teaching children to read.

Mom loved AA and remained very involved over the years, sponsoring many women. She was a gift to all, especially anyone willing to work a program and seek sobriety. In December 2025, she celebrated 52 years of sobriety.

Liz played the piano and loved to sing, as she did with several church choirs. She could sight read like a banshee!!! It was amazing when she would sit and play something that she had never seen!!

Liz spoke Spanish very well, and she was a traveller! She travelled to Europe, South America, Canada, UK, and the Scandinavian countries.

Mom loved to laugh, and she laughed very well!!!!

Her favorite quotes:

-When you get this old, ain’t nothing a big deal!!

-If I am having a bad day, I'm sitting on the problem.

-Keep small things small, and tiny things tiny!!!

In lieu of flowers, please consider Alcoholics Anonymous, Bartlett United Methodist Church, or Joyce Meyers Foundations.

A visitation will be held on February 6, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at Bartlett United Methodist Church, located at 5676 Stage Rd, Bartlett, TN, 38134.

A memorial service will follow at the same location, beginning at 2:00 pm.