Pastor Johnson was born to the union of John Elias Johnson and Ary Carolyn Williams Johnson. He was born in Hernando Mississippi, about twelve miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. His parents had four children, Laurence, Henry, Juanita Marie and Geraldine, respectively. Both of his parents were school teachers and his father was a school principal.
Pastor Johnson was called to preach when he was only seven years of age. As a child, Pastor Johnson lived with his maternal grandmother, Mariah Williams, a devoutly religious lady, until he was a teenager. He was always a very studious child which earned him the nickname “professor”.
After graduating from the eighth grade in Hernando, Mississippi, Pastor Johnson moved to Memphis, Tennessee and lived with relatives there while attending Booker T. Washington High School. He was a charter member of the National Honor Society in high school and graduated from high school in 1955.
Later Pastor Johnson enrolled at Jackson State University where he majored in Industrial Arts and minored in Art. While at Jackson State, he was sophomore representative to the Student Government Association, president of the campus Y.M.C.A., a member of Kappa Alfa Mu National Honor Society and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Pastor Johnson graduated from Jackson State in 1962. In 1964, Pastor Johnson was accepted at Vanderbilt University Divinity School and Drake University Divinity School. He chose Drake because it was farther from his home. While at Drake, Pastor Johnson majored in Old Testament Studies, Semitic Languages and Literature. He graduated from Drake in 1967. Two days later, he was ordained in the Christian Church Disciples of Christ. Pastor has done additional studies at Boston University, Harvard University and the Foundation Biblical Research.
Pastor Johnson has served United Methodist Churches in Detroit, Pontiac, East Cleveland, Ohio, Upstate New York, White Plains, and Ossining. He was the pastor for St. John U.M.C. in Pontiac, Michigan for six and one half years and St. Matthews in Ossining for fourteen years.
Upon retirement in 2007, Pastor Johnson and Helen relocated to Humble, TX. He was a member of United Methodist Men, and he participated in the Men’s Monday Night Bible Study and in the Tuesday Bible Study.
Preceding Pastor Johnson in death are his father, John Elias Johnson; his mother, Ary Carolyn Johnson and his sister, Juanita Marie Johnson.
His is survived by his loving wife, Helen M. Johnson; his daughter, Cassaundra C. Johnson of West Des Moines, IA; his sons, Ahmad S. Johnson of Des Moines, IA, Chaucer O. Johnson of San Francisco, CA; by his grandchildren, Bailey of Des Moines, IA, D’ Angelo, Bella, and Brielle of Des Moines, IA; brother, Laurence Johnson of Memphis, TN; sister, Geraldine Patton of Hernando, MS, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, church family and friends.