Norfolk—Mildred Ruth Smith Johnson, beloved wife, sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died peacefully Oct. 9, 2012 in Fairfax Hospital at 83 years of age.
Formerly of Portsmouth, she was born on Jan. 8, 1929 and was the daughter of the late Gussie Crocker Smith and Edna Harris Smith. She was also predeceased by her cherished aunt, Mildred Harris Parker, and granddaughter, Kimberly Eve Gray, whom she helped raise and loved.
Mildred received her two-year certificate to teach elementary school from James Madison University and matriculated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor of arts, majoring in elementary education.
She taught within the Portsmouth and Chesapeake public school systems, and retired from Deep Creek Elementary School after 25 years of teaching first graders. Mildred continued to teach children and adults of Pinecrest Baptist Church where she and her husband raised their girls, as well as Jackson Memorial Baptist where she and her husband were married in 1948.
In her spare time, Mildred helped many family and friends with meals, delicious cakes, sending cards for every occasion and by singing whenever asked.
Mildred enjoyed her time with her family the most and traveled with them almost every vacation. Mildred is survived by her loving husband of 64 years, Marvin W. Johnson, her brother, William Smith of Richmond; her daughter Marion Lidman and husband, Roger Lidman, M.D. of Norfolk; her daughter, Edna Kindley and husband George, of Fairfax; her granddaughter Kristen Wabuge and husband, George of Alexandria, her grandson Kevin Kindley of Norfolk; her sweet granddaughter Naomei Lidman of Norfolk and her precious great-granddaughter, Simone Wabuge of Alexandria.
Funeral services were held at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in the Mausoleum Chapel, in Chesapeake. Donations to a charity of choice or to the JMBC Music Fund.