MARJORIE BEST JOHNSON
Marjorie Best Johnson, 89, loving daughter, wife, godmother, aunt and cousin, passed away on October 28, 2015. The youngest of four children, Marjorie was born on February 26, 1926 in Gloucester, Massachusetts to William Thomas and Lucy Skinner Best.
Marjorie loved God, family, friends and life. She was kind, generous, patient and extremely intelligent. She received her BSN from the University of Virginia and her BS in early childhood education from the University of Maryland. She was a teacher of gifted and special needs children in the Washington area for more than 30 years. After retiring, she remained active by serving as a licensed tour guide in Washington, DC and the surrounding areas for nearly 21 years. Always a leader in her church, Grace Episcopal Church, she took on an additional role and brought a new dimension to the Strolling Seniors, a ministry for the church’s mature adults and their friends.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 36 years, Roy Lee Johnson, Jr. and brothers, William, Ralph and Hubert.
Surviving are cousin Mary McIntyre (husband Mac, children Merit, Michael and Malia and their families), godson Victor Simerly (wife Dorothy, children David, Jennifer and Nicole and their families), nephews Fred Powers (wife Linda) and Darrell Powers (wife Cathy, children Melody and Christian) and nieces Deborah LaPierre and Marcia Arnett (child Bethany Field and her family) and long time friends, Margaret Kaplow and Dorothy Gallagher.
The family expresses their sincere gratitude to the staff of Shanti’s Home for the compassionate and loving care given to Marjorie over the past three years.
Visitation will be held from 2-4 and 7-9 pm on Nov 4, 2015 at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Blvd West, Silver Spring, MD. A service to celebrate her life will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, 1607 Grace Church Road, Silver Spring, MD on Nov 5, 2015 at 10 am with interment following at Parklawn Memorial Cemetery, 12800 Veirs Mill Road, Rockville, MD.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of one’s choice.