Willie Lee Johnson

Willie Lee Johnson, a son of the late Mr. Henry and Mrs. Lillie Thomas Sumpter Johnson was born in Clarendon County, S.C. on May 28, 1948 and accepted Christ at an early age and joined the Taw Caw Baptist Church, Summerton, S.C. When he relocated to New Jersey he attended Saint Nicholas Roman Catholic Church, Jersey City, N.J.

Death cannot remove what our loved one has been to us. God claimed his gift Willie Lee Johnson to rest from his labors quietly and peacefully on the evening of Thursday, February 27, 2025.

Willie moved to New York in 1968, and studied at the Continental Cooking School in Bergenfield Tech. Paramus, N.J., at the Cake Decorating and Baking School at the New York Food & Hotel Management School, Manhattan, NY. He was employed by Old Salt Restaurant in Paramus, NJ, then he worked at Aunt Fish and La Gigale Bistro-Restaurant, Manhattan, N.Y, as a Sous Chef and became Head Chef at Randazzo’s Sea and Turf, Brooklyn, NY to then own and operate Willie’s Grotto in Brooklyn, NY. He later moved to New Jersey and became the Head Chef for Miss Kitty’s Saloon in Hoboken, N.J. After resting his chef hat he then started and retired from his own contracting business in Essex County, N.J. and named it “Willie’s Handyman Services”.

Willie enjoyed watching sports, going to church, playing his harmonica, working on cars, cooking, eating and socializing with strangers, family and his close friends. He will be remembered for his wonderful life and have made many extraordinary memories. His family and friends will remember him for being a hard worker with a “can do anything” attitude, his sense of humor, sharp tongue and gregarious personality.

Willie was preceded in death by: seven sisters; Inez Coutrier, Emma Jane Thomas, Sally Pierce, Bertha Montiere, Lottie West, Dorothy Robinson, Emma Mae Moorer and six brothers Henry (Jr), Edward, Sam, George and Raymond Johnson and Nathaniel Sumpter.

He leaves to celebrate his fond and loving memory with his children and grandchildren: four daughters Charisse Lee Johnson of Yonkers, N.Y., Jennifer (Michael Alexander) Johnson of Brooklyn N.Y., Kimberly Johnson of Kansas and Dr. Wanda (Paul) Julien, and two sons Marvin (Daisy) Johnson of Pomona, N.Y., Christopher (Theresa) Billups of Williamstown, N.J. and three step-sons Dennis and Mikhail Nichols of New Jersey and Bertram Billups of Brooklyn, N,Y. His grandchildren Dorian Lee Dupree, Charisse Johnson, Jasmine Johnson, Sierra Malena and Soraya Staton , Naomi E. Julien, Ashley, Morgan and Evans Billups and one great grandchild Amara Johnson. Five sisters Mary Lee Johnson, Lillie Richburg and Rosa Fludd all of Maryland, Wanetta Burgess and Marian Drummond both of New Jersey, two brothers Bobby Sumpter of Florida and Adam Johnson Sr. of New York, his godson/nephew Glen Johnson of New Jersey and a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Visiting hours for Willie will be held Saturday, March 8, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Whalen & Ball Funeral Home, 168 Park Ave, Yonkers, NY 10703. A funeral service will take place in the funeral on Saturday, March 8, 2025 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Final disposition is private.