Mary Frances Johnson

Mary Frances Johnson, 70, lost her long battle with cancer Wednesday, December 3, 2014 with her family by her side in Orlando FL. Mary Frances was born in Wilson, January 13, 1944, a daughter of the late Clenion H. Johnson and Effie Williams Johnson and had attended Winstead School, graduated from Ralph L. Fike High School class of 1962, and had attended Atlantic Christian College in Wilson. She began working for Bridgestone/Firestone while they were building the plant in Wilson and worked there until she retired in 1999. She moved to Orlando to be near her family in 2005 when she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. She kept her home in Wilson until 2012 and returned often to visit local friends. She is survived by her sister, Doris Johnson Joyner and her husband Kelton of Port St. Lucie, FL; and her niece, Penelope Widen and her husband Ahmed Rezk of Orlando, FL. She was predeceased by her nephew Eric Widen. Her passions were tutoring young readers at Winstead Elementary, going to the beach & fishing in Moorehead City/Atlantic Beach. Her family will receive relatives and friends in Thomas-Yelverton at Evergreen Memorial Park Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral service will be held Friday at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of Thomas-Yelverton Funeral Home. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society in her name.www.thomasyelverton.com.