Evelyn Tabor Johnston

Evelyn Tabor Johnston, age 92, died October 1st, 2019, in her home, attended by her children.  She is predeceased by her husband, George Roley Tabor, Jr., her second husband, James Morgan Johnston; her oldest son, George Roley Tabor, III; and her great-grandchild, Everett Lane Anderson.

Evelyn’s children who “rise up and call her blessed” are Steven (Fran) Tabor, Sherri T. (Robert) Anderson, and Timothy (Dianne) Tabor.

She is survived by 11 grandchildren; Susan Tabor, Brett (Jillian) Tabor, Travis and Trent Tabor, Keenan (Chris) McGrath, Forrest (Elizabeth) Tabor, Logan (Rebekah) Tabor, Corinne Tabor, Brian Bunn, Eric (Megan) Anderson, and David (Megan) Anderson.

She is survived by 11 great-grandchildren, Blake, Brandon and Ashlyn Davis, Weston and Landon Tabor, Grace and Patrick McGrath, Geddings Tabor, Eric Jr. and Mayci Anderson, and Evelyn Magnolia Anderson.

Mom was born in 1926 in Lawrenceville, Virginia, on her parents Frank and Olia Johnson’s farm.  She grew up with her sisters, Elizabeth (William) Council, and Christine (Linwood) Ricks, and her brothers, Jack (Emma) Johnson and Ernest Johnson.  Mom loved farm life and helping her daddy in the fields.  She was an avid student and excelled in academics at school.  She entered the Navy Nurse Corps during World War II, and just prior to finishing the nursing program, married our father.

Mom always had farming in her blood from her childhood days on her family’s farm.  Retired, Mom now had time to grow her garden each year and abundantly supply the family with her extra produce.  She would plant, water, fertilized, weed, harvest, cook, can, blanch, jam, and freeze, and then give away half of her garden’s blessings.  She continued to garden into her 90th year.

Along with Mom’s love of farming, came her love of cooking.  Our memories are vivid of our home being filled with the smells of her wonderful fried chicken or roast and vegetables and always a cake ready for us on Sunday after church.  We wonder how she could do all of that plus take her four children to church every Sunday morning.  Our second dad, Jim, especially enjoyed her cooking skills too.

She spent a lifetime raising her four children, enjoying her grandchildren, and now her great-grandchildren.  As a mother, she always loved and offered her support and instruction to us all.  She counseled and mentored us and shared her wisdom.  She was a faithful and loving wife and homemaker to her husband, George Roley Tabor, Jr., to whom she was married for 21 years.  Dad died at the early age of 42, leaving mom a widow, with four children, three who still lived in the home and were between 6 and 13 years of age.  The oldest son was 19 and serving in the Navy.  Following dad’s death, mom completed her education at Miller-Motte College and  was then employed at Wachovia Bank; first as a part time teller that accommodated her children’s needs in the home, and then to full time work as a Personal Banker.  She established herself as a dedicated employee who would give 110% to the service of her customers and her employer.   She retired from Wachovia with more than 20 years of service.  Mom found love a second time in her life and married her husband, James Morgan Johnston.  They were married 33 years until Jim passed away at the age of 82 in 2010.  Those were blessed years shared by all the family.

Mom’s legacy is her family. Our mom always told us she was extremely blessed with wonderful children.  But today Mom, your children rise up and call you their mother, blessed among all women.  Thank you Mom for teaching us how to live, how to work well, how to give, how to love, and how to die well.  We love you Mom and love never dies.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM Monday, October 7, 2019, at Andrews Mortuary Hampstead Chapel with the Rev. Dodd Mayes officiating.  Interment will follow at Sea Lawn Memorial Park (adjacent to the mortuary).

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in the name of Evelyn Johnston can be made to NHRMC Foundation, (Pediatric ICU) 2001 S. 17th Street, Wilmington, NC, 28401, or www.nhrmcfoundation.org.