Willie Nell Johnson

Mrs. Willie Nell Johnson was born on April 7, 1942 in Dacula, Georgia to the late Leila Bell and Eron Moore, Sr.  She transitioned from earthly life to eternal life on April 6, 2018 surrounded by loved ones.

Nell joined the Applachee Baptist Church (now Christ the King Church) in Dacula, Georgia at the age of nine.  There she was an active member of the youth choir, BTU, junior usher board and the Moore and Wilburn children’s gospel quartet.  She was a member of the 1960 graduating class of Hooper-Renwick High School in Lawrenceville, Georgia.  After graduation, using her talent for sewing, Nell was employed as a seamstress with several manufacturing companies in Lawrenceville.

On January 1, 1975, Nell married Chief Warrant Officer, George R. Johnson, in a surprise wedding held in her brother’s/his sister’s living room (Eron and Susie) and his brother (Pastor Kent Teasley) performed the ceremony.  Later that year, George was deployed to Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, Florida; and, they moved their family to start a new life together in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.  True to her personality, Nell quickly formed friendships with a wide variety of people from different walks of life who lived all over the beaches. 

Utilizing her excellent sewing abilities she opened Nell’s Alterations on Mayport Road providing clothing alteration services mainly for the local naval personnel.  She also co-owned the adjacent laundry mat with her husband, George. Overtime, she continued her business from her home.  She was also employed for many years by Neptune Embroidery Company.

Nell had a lovely singing voice and used that gift as a member of the Beaches Community Choir.  She joined New Community Baptist Church in Atlantic Beach, Florida in 1982 and was an active member until her death.  Her effervescent, outspoken personality, generosity, readiness to listen and willingness to help others made the self-named “the Girl” a well-known and much loved “Georgia Peach” in her church and in her community.  When faced with a question or situation for which she had no ready answer, “the Girl’s” favorite reply was “Only the Good Lord Knows!”. She was also a faithful member of PUSH Ministries under the leadership of Pastor Mattie Freeman.

Nell was preceded in death by her husband, George R. Johnson; her parents, Eron and Leila Moore, Sr.; her brother, Eron Moore, Jr.’ and her granddaughter, Sharnice Wilson.

She leaves to celebrate her life and cherish her memory, her sons, George Raffell Johnson of Jacksonville, FL, and Corey (Debra) Meeks of St. Augustine, FL; daughters, Sheila Hooiser (Curtis) of Pembroke Pines, FL and Ursula Early (Tyrone) of Jacksonville, FL; brothers, James E. Moore of Lawrenceville, GA, Minister Jimmy L. Moore of East Point, GA, and Mr. & Mrs. Ernest L. Moore of Spring Valley, CA; sisters, Leila R. Moore of Decatur, GA, Minister Jerolene Moore-Wilburn of Lithonia, GA and Joyce A. Moore of Tucker, GA; brothers-in-law, Albert Johnson, Howard Teasley and Rev. McKinley Teasley all of Winder, GA; sisters-in-law, Carolyn Browner, and Diane Kinney of Winder, GA and Mary Ann Timley (Walter) of Macon, GA; two aunts, Gladys Hall and Mildred Hall of Dacula, GA; grandchildren, Mercedes Johnson, Laviesha Carroll, Tyalliah Early, Tykkia Early, Tyrone Early, Jr., Marcus Hoosier, McKenzie Hoosier, Julius Corey Meeks, Jr., Tiara Land, Cori Meeks, Elijah Buggest and Emmanuel Graham; six great grandchildren; goddaughters, Katherine (Peaches) Billingsley of New Orleans, LA, Regina Colvin of Atlantic Beach, FL, Sylvia Horn of Jacksonville, FL, Barbara Penn of Jacksonville, FL and Nikita Bowman of Jacksonville, FL; godsons, Tony Johnson of Stockbridge, GA and Walter Soloman, Jr. of Callahan, FL; and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, spiritual children and friends.

Sarah L. Carter’s Funeral Home Southside is serving the family.

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