Johnnie Mae (Loftin) Ezell

A one-of-a-kind woman, born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Johnnie Mae (Loftin) Ezell was a wife, mother, sister, and friend to many. One of nine children born to Burel James and Marie Loftin, she was the beloved wife of Levi Ezell and the proud mother of Averall Cortez Ezell, Antoine Carl Ezell, and Andurio Conal Ezell—her three “ACEs.” She served as the anchor of her family, just as she was among her siblings.

Johnnie was the third oldest of nine children born to Burel James Loftin, Sr. and Marie Valeria (York) Loftin. She was raised in the Catholic faith and attended Toulminville Elementary School, Most Pure Heart of Mary Grade School, and Dunbar Junior High School before graduating from Central High School, which at the time was the only Black high school in Mobile. After graduating from high school, she matriculated at Alabama State College Center in Mobile, where she majored in accounting.

During this time, she met a young man from Tuskegee, Alabama, Levi Ezell. They married and soon welcomed their first son, Averall Cortez Ezell (Al). Five years later, they welcomed Antoine Carl Ezell (Tony), and ten years after that, they were blessed with Andurio Conal Ezell (Andy). Johnnie was a dedicated working mother, employed in the accounting department at Bishop State College, where she worked until her retirement, forming lifelong relationships and leaving a lasting impact. She was an avid bowler, softball player, devoted sports mom, and a member of the Eastern Star organization.

What many will remember most about Johnnie was her giving spirit. She never met a stranger and often struck up conversations with anyone she encountered—whether at the bank, the optometrist, or on an airplane. She went out of her way to help others, often sacrificing herself emotionally, spiritually, and financially. She simply did not want to let anyone down. This spirit was most evident in how she raised her three sons, ensuring they each had equal opportunities for success. All three attended St. Catherine’s Grade School (Andurio later attended St. Ignatius when St. Catherine’s closed during his third-grade year) and McGill-Toolen High School. She was deeply committed to and immensely proud of “her boys.” This devotion was rooted in her deep Catholic faith and her desire for others to know she cared.

Over the past five years, Johnnie lived in an assisted living home in Houston, near her youngest son, Andy, and her youngest sister, Mary. There, she enjoyed spending time with her youngest grandchildren, attending peewee football and baseball games, occasionally going bowling, and enjoying her favorite Sunday meals, fried catfish, or Popeyes with a Barq’s Root Beer. Being around her “baby boy” and grandkids was a joy. She also enjoyed singing and dancing with Andy and Tony when they visited her together. Everyone in her living community loved her spirit, which earned her the nickname “Happy Johnnie.”

After a lengthy battle with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, Johnnie passed away peacefully in her sleep on the morning of May 9, 2026. She is preceded in death by her parents, Burel James Loftin, Sr. and Marie Valeria (York) Loftin; her siblings Maurice (Morris) Loftin, Jacqueline Marie Loftin, Charles McDonald Loftin, Burel James Loftin, Jr., and Betty Jean (Loftin) Daffin-Rezendes; her husband, Levi Ezell; and her son, Averall Cortez Ezell.

She leaves to cherish her memory three siblings: Mary Eleanor (Loftin) Spates, Pritchett Turner Loftin, and Leon Gerard Loftin, Sr.; her sons, Andurio Conal Ezell and Antoine Carl Ezell; and her grandchildren: Aleia D. Ezell, Amari C. Ezell, Amir C. Ezell, Olivia G. Ezell, Austin C. Ezell, and Lauryn A. Ezell.

Visitation for Johnnie will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026, from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Mobile, Alabama. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 1 p.m., followed by interment in Pine Crest Cemetery on Dauphin Island Parkway in Mobile.