Joyce Arline (Greer) Johnson

The youngest child of Bessie D. Loe and Virgil Bryant Greer, she came into the world August 12, 1928 in the Bear Creek Community, in the Parish of Bienville, LA.

She spent her childhood on the Loe Family Farm in Bienville, LA. The family moved to Shreveport where Bessie operated a sandwich shop and Virgil worked in construction. After school, Joyce would help her Mom, Bessie Greer, in the sandwich shop.

By the time that Joyce was in high school, the family had moved to Houston. She graduated from Jefferson Davis High School June 1, 1945.

Joyce went to Texarkana to work in her Aunt Gertrude’s Hardware store. It was there that she met the love of her life, Paul Revere Johnson. The couple married January 19, 1945 in Texarkana AK.

Paul and Joyce opened Johnson Appliance Service in 1953. Joyce answered the phones, did the bookkeeping and managed the shop while Paul did service calls. After a few years, the business name was changed to C & J Appliance. Joyce continued working in the office and still found time to take care of her three children. Paul retired from C & J Appliance and turned it over to his eldest son Jimmy. Joyce continued to work answering phone calls and managing the office. In December 2003, the family business was broken into and set on fire. One of the Arson investigators asked her what were she and Paul going to do? Joyce looked at her oldest son, Jimmy, and told him to lower the tailgate of the truck and run a phone line. She stated that the business was still open and sat at the truck tailgate until a better office was established. She retired from C & J Appliance on Thanksgiving 2012.

Joyce and the family began attending Clay Road Baptist Church when the family moved into their home on Railton Street in 1955. She loved the old-time gospel music and enjoyed singing it in church. She loved taking flowers with Ms. Neff on Mondays to the sick and the people who could not make it to church. She would listen to Pastor Bruce’s services on CD when she could not make it physically to Church.

She loved to feed her family, friends and police officers that came by to check on her. Mimi burgers, BLTs, Thanksgiving dinners large enough to feed an army, Disaster cake that tasted delicious and Banana Pudding seemed to be the favorite. If you wanted it, she would make it.

Joyce was an avid Astros fan and watched every game she could. Sometimes she would watch the same game twice. Joyce loved chocolate and never met a Hostess cupcake she did not like.

Joyce is preceded in death by her husband Paul Revere Johnson; as well as her siblings: Wilma Greer, Marie Greer, Dean Downey, Bob Greer, Jack Greer and Don Greer.

She is survived, loved and missed by her three children and their spouses: Jimmy married Bobbie Bishop, Paula married Larry Hedrick, David married Martha Halsall. She is also survived, loved and missed by her nine grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.

The greatest pleasure in her later years was when a grandchild or great grandchild would walk into the room. Her eyes would start to twinkle and she would then the sweetest smile come across her face. It was as if all of her pain and troubles would melt away.

Joyce Arline Johnson, we love you and miss you, never forgotten and always in our heart.

Family and friends gathered and celebrated this wonderful woman’s life during a visitation from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 4, 2021 at Clay Road Baptist Church, 9151 Clay Road in Houston, where Rev. Dr. Bruce Northam led funeral services at 11:00 a.m. Interment followed at Memorial Oaks Cemetery, also in Houston.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that you donate to Clay Road Baptist Church, 9151 Clay Road, Houston, TX 77080, (713) 462-3401.