timeline

On April 8, 1930, Elsie was born in Kossuth, MS to Paul and Corine Norman. Her Aunt Neallie served as the midwife.

The middle child of a sharecropper and a seamstress, Elsie grew up in Alcorn County with her two brothers, Joseph L., and Edward L. [Portion of a 1911 Mississippi Map by Rand McNally]

She attended primary and secondary school in her hometown. [Primary school photo, 1941; seated bottom row, third from left]

Her parents emphasized to her the value of education and faith. She attended the Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist, Macedonia Missionary Baptist, and Alcorn Baptist churches.

May 30, 1947

On Friday evening, May 30, 1947, after graduating with a 4.2 GPA, Elsie delivered the commmencement address at the Corinth Colored High School graduation ceremony; her topic: "Vocation and Security". She went on to attend Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS.

Elsie was heavily involved in her college community. In addition to her studies, she was a member of the Paul Robeson Theatrical Society.

1950

In 1950, she crossed into the first Mississippi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. [Center with her sorority sisters]

Sep 7, 1950

While at Tougaloo, Elsie met Ardee Johnson, a fellow Biology major and a former Army private. Ardee was also a member of the Football team and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. She married the McComb, MS native on September 7, 1950 in Pike County, MS. [Note on the picture reads, "To my darling Peaches", a common nickname for Elsie]

Elsie was well regarded by her peers. In 1950, she was crowned “Ms. Tougaloo”. The following year, she would go on to be voted "Most Popular" in her senior class. [Center in crown during her coronation]

May 29, 1951

On May 29, 1951, Elsie graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts in Biology. Shortly after receiving her degree, she moved with her husband to Washington, D.C. [High school or college grad photo]

1951-1954

While her husband pursued a Dental Degree from Howard University, Elsie supported him by working for the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). She soon gave birth to her first child, her daughter, Cheryl.

1955-1959

Air Force Lieutenant Johnson's service soon required the family to move to Texas. There, Elsie gave birth to her second daughter, Andrea. [Shown shortly before Andrea's birth with husband and Cheryl]

1959-1961

In late 1959, Air Force Captain Johnson was deployed to serve in a post-war tour in Japan. With her husband overseas, Elsie returned to her MS hometown with her two daughters. A few months later, determined to be with her husband, she made the long, international voyage alone, accompanied by their two daughters. In Japan, they had their third child, Ardee II. [Passport photo; shown with daughters, Cheryl & Andrea]

1962 on

After her husband concluded his service, the family settled down in Oakland, California where Doctor Johnson opened a dental practice. [Pictured by road outside Oakland home; 1971]

In Oakland, Else continued to raise her three children and soon, she gave birth to her second son and fourth and final child, Christopher. [Her four children: Andrea, Ardee, Cheryl, & Christopher]

In her spare time, Elsie often went bowling with her friends, and even won a few trophies. She also loved music, especially gospel, Jazz, and R&B, and was an avid singer and dancer. [Shown with high school friend, Walter F.]

While raising her four children, Elsie remained active in the African-American community through work with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the Links Inc., and Allen Temple Baptist Church. At Allen Temple Church, she served as a volunteer secretary, assisting Reverend Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr. She also often sang soprano solos in the church choir.

For the next 65 years, Elsie continued to devote herself to her family and to serving the Oakland community. She even earned an Adult Education Full-Time Teaching Credential in 1977.

She is remembered by many in the greater Bay Area for her years of work in the Oakland Public Schools system, and as an administrative assistant for California’s State Board of Equalization, the Department of Public Health, the Center for Infectious Diseases, and the Employment Development Department.

Sep 4, 2020

On Friday, September 4, 2020, the Lord called Elsie home. Elsie is preceded in death by her brothers, Joseph L. & Edward L. She is survived by her four children, Cheryl, Andrea, Ardee, & Christopher. Also joined in fond memories of Elsie are 9 grandchildren, 7 nieces, 1 nephew, and numerous friends.

TBD...

Due to the pandemic, plans for a memorial sevice have been temporarily postponed. To be notified of any future services, complete the form on the Contact Page. [Peach roses, her favorite flower]

Elsie Pauline Norman Johnson

APRIL 8, 1930 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2020