Delores Johnson

Visitation will be at 1pm Sunday, November 8th at Carolina Memorial Gardens. The Celebration of Life will be at 2:30pm and the burial will follow after.

Delores was born in Stockertown, PA to Raymond and Martha Altemose on November 16, 1930. She attended a one room schoolhouse and graduated from Chestnut Hill High School in 1950 where she started the first hot lunch program for her school. Between the ages of 10 to 17 years old, her family and her performed in the circus. She was an aerial performer and performed in the Wild West Show. She once volunteered as the assistant for the knife-throwing performance before her father said “No More!”. After graduation she worked in a factory sewing slips for a few years before she became a buyer for a local department store.

While on a bus ride back home in July of 1952, she met a US Airmen, Elijah Johnson. Several letters later and only a few short months, she married Elijah “Johnny” Johnson on March 28, 1953 in Tatamy, PA. During Johnny’s years of service, they were stationed in Washington D.C., Tripoli, North Africa, California and finally Charleston, SC. While living in Tripoli, her and Johnny both found the Lord and were baptized in 1958 in Libia. Delores and Johnny adopted three children, Laura (1960), Jimmy (1963) and Elke (1965).

Delores enjoyed sewing, quilting, gardening, cooking and spending Papa’s money. She attended church every chance she got and was a long-standing member at the Ashley Heights Church of Christ. She lived a very full life up until 2021 when she was diagnosed with Parkinsons. This illness changed her life drastically, but it brought many new friends and caretakers who quickly became family.

Delores is preceded in death by Raymond and Martha Altemose (parents), Elijah Johnson (husband), Elke and Jimmy Johnson (children), Lenoard Altemose (brother), Harry Altemose (brother), Carol Larman (sister), and Randy Adkins (son-in-law).

Delores is survived by Laura Johnson Adkins of Summerville (daughter), Emily (Mathew) Wright of Cordesville, Melissa (James) O’Connor of Wilmington, Alicia Meeks of Alabama and several great-grandchildren.

The family of Delores wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Agape Hospice and her dear caretakers.