Minnie L. Mikell Johnson was called to her heavenly home on September 22, 2016. Her last resting place was McLeod Hospice House in Florence, SC. She was born on May 28, 1934 to William Moore and Mary Emma Shelton Mikell. She graduated from South Carolina State College with a B.S. in Biology and earned a Masters from Hunter College in New York, and a Masters and Ph.D. From Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Dr. Johnson spent 30 years as a Research Scientist in the pharmaceutical industry working at various institutions such as the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, Schering Plough, Squibb and Novartis (formerly known as Ciba-Geigy). When Dr. Johnson retired she became the primary developer of the computerization of Library and Information Services of the East Orange, NJ School District. She also became an entrepreneur post-retirement and founded an ”information brokering” business called Sci-Tech Information Services, Inc.
Dr. Johnson placed great emphasis on innovation and education. Her scholarly and community accomplishments were rewarded by numerous honors, and plaques and earned the admiration of peers and associates. Dr. Johnson felt that her life could be summed up best by following the progress of the children enrolled in the East Orange School District Chess Club which she began in 1969. The program is still a viable entity for academic and national success. Her role as a mentor to some of the top scholars and scientists in the country is among her many legacies.
Golfing was her passion and she spent her later years documenting the history of African American women in the sport of golf. Her publications include: The African American Woman Golfer: Her Legacy (2008), Heroines of African American Golf: The Present, and the Future (2010) and, Female Legends of the United Golfers Association (2015).
Dr. Johnson was a member of the Calvary Baptist Church, East Orange, NJ for 30 years and served as Treasurer of the Scholarship Committee for 20 years. After relocating to Florence, SC, she became a member of Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Supply, NC.
She leaves behind to cherish her memory her son, Phillip G. Johnson, daughter-in-law, Deborah Johnson and grand-daughter, Danyell Johnson of Iselin, NJ; her daughter, Jamie Reid and son-in-law, Audley Reid, Jr. of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; her sister-in-law, Marva Brown, Allene Johnson and Doris Murrell, brother-in-law, Kenneth Johnson, and many nieces and nephews from the family of her recently deceased husband, James H. Johnson; and numerous, wonderful friends in Florence, SC and New Jersey.
Dr. Johnson will be cremated by Cain-Calcutt-Stephens Funeral Home in Florence, SC. She did not want a funeral service; she’d rather her loved ones do good deeds in her memory. As efficiently expressed in one of her favorite poems, Miss Me—But Let Me Go, “When I come to the end of the road; And the sun has set for me; I want no rites in a gloom-filled room; Why cry for a soul set free?”
VIEW OBITUARY and memorial service details.
Friends and family are cordially invited to a gathering to celebrate and honor the memory of Minnie Mikell Johnson.
DATE: Saturday, November 5, 2016
TIME: 3:00-6:00 p.m.
LOCATION: 2084 Brock Circle, Florence, SC 29501
Friends and family! Food & Drinks (including Burbon!) Stories and laughter!
To RSVP please contact Jamie Reid at 516-267-9387 or email jamie_reid@comcast.net.
If you are unable to make it, please feel free to email Jaime with a story of your favorite memorie of Dr. J.
