Viola Lucy Johnson

Our beautiful Mother, Madear, DearDear, Aunt Viola, Sister, Godmother, Nannan, cousin, and friend was called home on Monday, April 15,2024 to be with our Heavenly Father. She departed this life at the age of 98 years and six months at home.

Viola was born on October 25,1925 in Grand Coteau, LA to parents of Regina Lastrapes and Frank Adams in St. Landry Parish. She was the seventh child of eleven children and the last survivor of the Adams siblings. Viola grew up in the Grand Coteau and Sunset communities, with fond childhood memories growing up with her seven brothers and three sisters on a farm. She often shared stories of her hardworking brothers working in the fields and cutting sugar cane.

She was united in marriage to Herman Irvin Johnson on April 25,1953 and they remained married for 40 years. They were married in the St. John Berchmans Catholic Church in Cankton, Louisiana. Viola relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana with her husband, Herman. Together they raised a family of six children in New Orleans focusing on God and educating their children for a better life. They made many sacrifices to ensure that their kids obtained good, quality educations or crafts.

Viola’s first job in New Orleans was in 1963 where she worked as a cook for the Dominican nuns at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School. She continued employment in the summers at the Dominican College doing laundry. During her later years she was a professional governess working for new moms caring for their infants. Viola was a diligent hard worker and was liked by her employers. She developed a great reputation in New Orleans for caring for infants and the elderly.

Viola was also a faithful and devoted homemaker with excellent cooking and baking skills that she used to entertain her family and friends. She always had an “open door” to her kitchen and was glad to host anyone who visited her table including family, friends, rosary groups, priests, college students, and neighbors. She was often the mother to the motherless. She also enjoyed her birthday parties and always had such joy listening to music and dancing.

Viola was a devout Catholic with a strong bond in reciting the rosary. She was a faithful member of Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Prayer Group in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was a faithful member and former parishioner at St. Philip the Apostle, St. Monica, St. Maria Goretti, and St. Simon Peter churches.

Viola loved to travel and was blessed to visit Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Florence, Italy, the Vatican, Nice and Cannes France, and Monaco. She also enjoyed visits to places such as Hot Springs, Arkansas, Cozumel, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands as well as family in California, Texas, and Illinois.

After Hurricane Katrina, Viola relocated to Houston, Texas with her daughter, Simone, in 2005. While there, she was a member of St. Justin the Martyr, Sacred Heart, and St. Faustina Catholic churches. She started the monthly Lady of Fatima Rosary Group in Houston.

Viola is preceded in death by her parents, Regina Lastrapes and Frank Adams, husband, Herman I. Johnson, one daughter, Loretta Johnson Hickerson, one son, Kirby A. Johnson,

granddaughter, April Williams, great-granddaughter Angel Williams, great-great-granddaughter Dallas Marie Allen, seven brothers, Preston Adams, Joseph Adams, Robert Adams, Frank Adams, John Adams, Harold Adams, Edward Adams and three sisters, Mary Adams Charles, Theresa Adams Belson and Adeline Adams Charlot Insell. She is also preceded in death by six sisters in law, Louvenia J. Harvey, Velma J. Harris, Alice J. Turner, Lorraine J. Cosey, Rose J. Hill, Elouise J. Perkins, and one brother-in -law, Carl Johnson.

Precious memories of her will be treasured by her surviving children, Patsy J. White (Don Ray), Brother Herman de Porres, O.P., and Hiram Johnson (Germaine) and Simone Johnson, son-in-law Leroy Hickerson, nineteen grandchildren, forty-seven great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren. She will also be greatly missed by Godchildren Joseph Adams, Jr, Iowa, LA, Marcella Signal and Roderick Belson of New Orleans, LA, Lloyd Roberts and Joseph Larry Adams of Houston, Texas as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

Viola touched the lives of many people with her underlying faith in God, her courage to help others. We know that Viola’s life was purposeful and not in vain. Thank you for being here for us as we accept God’s will knowing that our loved one is absent from the body, but present with the Lord.

We would like to thank Estela Rubio who assisted Simone in caring for Madear as if she were her own mother for the last 15 years. The family would also like to thank the physicians and staff at Hillcroft Medical Clinic, Southwest Nephrology, Memorial Hermann Medical Group, and Memorial Hermann Hospital. We would also like to give a special thank you to the family members who gave of their personal time to assist in caring for her during her last week of life.