Willia Sue Johnson

Willia “Sue” Jones Johnson (Hamilton) was born on August 13, 1942, in Kilgore, Texas in Gregg County to Henry Hamilton and Alma Glady Smith. She went home to be with the Lord on August 30, 2022. Often called “Ms. Willia” to many of her new younger friends and family, Mrs. Jones or Mrs. Johnson during her business years, and as mainly as “Sue” as she was affectionately called by her many siblings, (and her older son Malcolm) loved God, her family, and knowledge.

Early in life, Willia Sue Hamilton attended Kilgore Colored and later CB Dansby High School in Kilgore, Texas. During a formative years she played clarinet in the band, was in the marching band and was affectionally remembered the lead baton twirler during football games. She also excelled in academics and was able to attend college on a scholarship at Jarvis Christian College (a school founded by the Disciples of Christ and consider a Church of Christ College) in Hawkins, Texas about 20 miles from Tyler, Texas. While in college she continued to excel academically making often making the Dean’s list and she continued as a flag girl, baton twirler on the college drill team, and graduated May of 1960.

Shortly thereafter, Sue was married to Malcolm Jones, Sr. who was in the military and she traveled and worked Honolulu, Hawaii; Wilmington, Delaware; and the in the “Big City” in New York City, both in Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York. She later returned to Texas to pursue a career as an educator where she worked at Sue worked at John H. Reagan High School (now Heights High School) in the Houston Independent School District in Houston, Texas in a career that spanned 30 years.

Mrs. Johnson was an English, Mathematics, and later Special Education counselor. She was asked to become the first Vocational Counselor for the new field of Computer Science in 1982, the first of its kind in the US. The program was underwritten by companies including IBM, Compaq Computers (now HP), and others who kicked off the computing revolution in the country. Many top students in the Houston were bused in to be part of this at the time, “revolutionary program” at Reagan High School. Later this program was no longer considered vocational but a requirement for college bound students.

Amazingly, after retiring from education, Sue would say it was not time to make some money. After creating Johnson’s Financial Services, LLC she originated and led many successful ventures as a female CEO. Her mortgage company originated mortgages for underrepresented minorities, mainly black people when there was widespread racism in the industry. At this time blacks even with good credit scores could not get mortgages to buy houses. She was pioneer in the industry, as evidenced that she was one of first to be licensed as broker (#164) in the State of Texas that has now licensed over 1M licensees and averages over 48,000 a year. Her firm worked with real estate, tractor trailer brokerages, currency trading, and insurance products. She was a renaissance woman.

Sue always sought to give back through educating everyone, including her children, family, and church. Advocating financial literacy, she spearheaded several financial education programs at the churches of Christ where she was a member. Through her faith she often communicating to family, friends, and church members her knowledge and perspective being wise, discerning and faithful with God’s blessings. Sue was a faithful lifelong member of the Church of Christ was member of the several congregations while in Houston including North Houston, Highland Heights, Highland Gardens and Bammel Road Churches of Christ. Willia Sue loved the word, going to scripture during good and tough times, and singing songs of praise to the Lord.

Willia Sue Jones Johnson was previously married to Lee Otis Johnson, Henry Johnson, Jr., and Malcolm Jones, Sr. Sue leaves to cherish her loving memory, her son, Dr. Erick Christopher Jones, Sr. (Felicia) of Reno, Nevada; three grandsons, Dr. Erick Christopher Jones Jr. (Sarah) of Arlington Texas(mother Darlene Johnson), Christopher Malcolm Jones and Matthew Ryan Jones; a great-grandson, Andre Jones (mother Sarah Jones) of Arlington, TX.

She is also survived by a host of family including, brothers, Henry Hamilton (Josephine) of Tyler, Texas and John C. Taylor (Carmen) of Rosamond, California; sisters, Mildred (deceased George) Liggins of Longview, Texas; Joyce Ann (deceased Dan)Watts and Judy Kay Alexander, Yolanda Jones(Clarence) of Longview, Texas, Davin Jeffries of Longview, Texas, and cousins Linda (Curtis) Brown of Houston, TX, Linda (Craig) Cunningham of Houston, TX, Judy (Wallace) LeDay of Houston, TX, Tonisha (Arthur) McGowan and the numerous other cousins and family members.

She is preceded in death by her parents, one son, Malcolm Jones, Jr.”JJ”; her beloved Mommy Dot (Dorothy Adams), brothers, Jessie Andrew Hamilton, Donald Ralph Hamilton, Jimmie Hamilton, Jack Elder Hamilton, and Bobby Ray Hamilton; sisters, Gladys Faye Jeffery and Judy Kay Alexander.

Willia Sue Johnson was always willing to lend a helping hand. She sought the advice of her brothers and sisters and ensured that she assisted, her family as needed and/or requested. Ensuring that her sons understood the importance of family, of serving others, and of pursuing excellence in everything you do, was important to her in making sure her children knew God. It’s how she raised two remarkable sons. Sue will be dearly missed by her church family, by her loving friends, cousins, and extended family.

A visitation for Willia will be held Saturday, September 3, 2022 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM at Paradise Funeral Home, 10401 West Montgomery, Houston, TX 77088. A funeral service will occur Saturday, September 3, 2022 from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM, 10401 West Montgomery, Houston, TX 77088. A committal service will occur Saturday, September 3, 2022 from 3:45 PM to 4:00 PM at Paradise Cemetery North, 10401 West Montgomery, Houston, TX 77088.