Emma Jane Johnson was the heart and soul of her family. On November 11, 2020 she passed away peacefully in her sleep. With her passing the Johnson/Harrison clan lost our matriarch. We are heartbroken but we rejoice in the fact that our lives have been enriched by “Little Jane Lightning.” Jane’s wit, humor and charming personality made loyal and admiring friends of all who met her – friendships that extended over the generations. Her contemporaries, children’s friends and grandchildren’s friends sent doting inquiries of her welfare for the rest of her life. Mrs. Jane, Momma Jane, Granny, Grandma, Mom and the sobriquet: “my sweet little mother that I love so much” were many of her loving names.
Emma Jane Johnson, the third of six children of Rev. Charles McNeece and Drucilla Harrison-McNeece, was born on Oct 5, 1921 in Belton in Bell County, Texas. It was in this tiny town she met the love of her life, Robert Roy Johnson. She was a majorette and Robert, the football star player. It was post-war time America in 1945 when the recently discharged GI and his bride moved to El Paso, Texas seeking employment where they would make their home the rest of their lives. They were blessed with six children who shared their parents’ gifts of athleticism, scholarship and civic responsibility.
Jane was a devout Christian and a woman of deep faith. She was an active member of her beloved Visitors Chapel AME Church in central El Paso where she was the Sunday School Superintendent, and a member of the church choir for many years. Even at 99 years old she could be found in her chosen church pew every Sunday.
Jane was truly a civic dynamo. She was an early member of El Paso’s nascent NAACP and was involved in early desegregation efforts of public accommodations. She was a Cub Scout leader during her boys’ early development and a den mother for the Brownies to her daughter. She always exercised her civic duty to vote and recently at age 99 was proud to fill out her first mail-in-ballot for her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority sister in the presidential election. Over the years she also belonged to a host of service clubs. On Fridays she could be found at McCall’s Center playing cards and socializing with friends. And did we mention Bingo? You had better get her to the Bingo Hall on time, and even though the games started at 6 pm, you were in for a long night if you thought you could get her out of there before the 11:30 pm closing.
Jane initially was an active stay-at-home mom and a renowned seamstress. Once all of her children graduated high school and began college, she reasoned that if these six, whom she taught to spell C-A-T, could do it, why couldn’t she? She matriculated into UTEP, often commuting with her youngest son. She was graduated in 1976 with a degree in elementary education and subsequently taught 4th grade at Burleson Elementary School.
Jane was most proud of her family. Family gatherings were de rigueur with the much anticipated Christmas gatherings held on a biennial basis in El Paso or at family members’ homes around the country. If it were left up to Mama Jane, the 25 or so who attended would have slept on pallets on the living room floor like they did as kids. Boggle, Dominoes, Bid Whist and bowling tournaments were a “blood sport” for her and even into her late nineties she held her own against the upstart children and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, and by sons Michael and Vincent. She is survived by son Robert, and his wife, Renske; son Ronald, daughter Karen, and her husband Harry; and son Charles: her many grandchildren - Alicia, Michelle, Vincent, Andrea, C.J., Roberta, Michael, Esmé, Marques, Nathan and Emily; a host of great grandchildren – Gabielle, Lucy, Angelique, Sydney, Vincent III, Oliver, Layton (deceased) Nayvie, Nova, Sawyer, Michael Beau, Ballou and Tessa, countless nieces and nephews and loving and extended family Barbara and Michelle Byrd.
Funeral services will be private due to the COVID-19 pandemic but you are welcome to join us in celebrating Jane’s 100th birthday on Oct 5th, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jane will be interred in Fort Bliss National Cemetery alongside her beloved Robert. In lieu of flowers the family is requesting that donations be sent in her memory to her favorite charity, The McCall Center in central El Paso, 3231 Wyoming Ave, 79903.
The family extends special thanks to her care givers Pam Smith and her internal medicine doctor Dionicio Alvarez for providing her loving, expert and compassionate care.
It has been said that there will come a time when the mention of her name will bring a smile to your face before it brings a tear to your eye. Emma Jane, because of your splendid life - we’re all smiling.
