Mrs. Virginia Johnson passed away on January 20, 2018 after a long illness. She was born on April 1, 1929 in Climax, Georgia. Her parents were the late Thomas Riley Lawson and Mary Chester Lawson.

Virginia grew up in the small town of Climax, Georgia attending school eleven years and graduating in 1946 as the class valedictorian. After graduation, she attended Valdosta State College before transferring to Georgia Teachers’ College (Georgia Southern University). Virginia graduated with a B.A. in Education in 1950 with honors. She met her late husband, James Arthur (Buster) Johnson while attending school in Statesboro. They were married on August 7, 1950.

The couple began their marriage together in southwest Georgia teaching school together in Ochlocknee and Cairo. In the summers, the couple pursued their graduate degrees at Peabody College (Vanderbilt) graduating with honors in Nashville, Tennessee. As children came into the family, they made Cairo their home. In 1959, the family moved to Dublin, Georgia which was Buster’s hometown. She taught school in Dublin for a couple of years. In 1961, the family moved to Lyons where Virginia continued to teach school until her retirement in 1983. She was named the Teacher of the Year in 1980. During retirement, she served one term on the Toombs County Board of Education.

Virginia was active in the First Baptist Church of Lyons serving in various capacities including Sunday school teacher for women classes. She was a member of the Fidelis, Mamie China, and Seventy and Greater Sunday School classes and the WMU. She was civic minded and participated in the ¬¬¬Beta Sigma Phi sorority functions in the community. Virginia was a member of the Redcoat Band Boosters and the Football/Athletic Booster Club. She enjoyed knitting, word puzzles, and playing cards weekly with friends.

Mrs. Johnson was preceded in death by her husband, Buster, one sister and brother-in-law, Marguerite and Bill Sloan of Climax, one nephew, Billy Sloan of Climax. Survivors include sons Tommy Johnson of Savannah and Clarke Johnson (Treva) of Statesboro, daughters Beth McCall (Leland) of Reidsville, Emily Stanley (Jeff) of Lyons, and Ginger Edge (Randall) of Petross Community. Nine grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren also survive her.

Visitation will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Monday, January, 22nd in the chapel of Stewart-Rosier Funeral Service in Lyons, Georgia. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 23rd at the First Baptist Church in Lyons, Georgia. Interment will be conducted at the Lyons City Cemetery. Rev. Dannie Williams will preside over the service.

         Pallbearers will be Hunter McCall, Ches McCall, Riley Johnson, Ben Johnson, Blake Brown, Les Bateson, and Nathan Adams. Honorary pallbearers will be members of her Sunday School class. Remembrances can be made to the First Baptist Church of Lyons.
 
Stewart-Rosier Funeral Service Lyons Chapel is in charge of funeral arrangements.

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