Elois Charlotte (Larkey) Johnson

ELOIS CHARLOTTE (LARKEY) JOHNSON

Elois Charlotte Larkey Johnson was born in Hiltons, Virginia on December 27, 1927, daughter of Arthur Kearney Larkey and Mara Virginia Baker Larkey. Her family moved to Camden, Ohio in her childhood, and she graduated from Camden High School in 1945. Mrs. Johnson worked at various secretarial jobs while in Camden, then relocated to Marietta, Ohio following her 1949 marriage to Gordon F. Johnson. She worked in the Marietta College Athletic Department while there.

While her husband attended veterinary school at The Ohio State University from 1953-57, she served as secretary to Ohio State’s Dean of Admissions. While there Mrs. Johnson had frequent interactions with Ohio State football Coach “Woody” Hayes, and did typing for him.

Mrs. Johnson and her family resided in Lafayette, Indiana from 1957-1969 where she was an active church member (Trinity United Methodist Church), a member of the Sweet Adelines singing group, and an early advocate of highway beautification. She frequently organized local volunteer efforts for road clean ups, and became well known to the Tippecanoe County commissioners for her advocacy.

Mrs. Johnson was also an avid hunter of wild morel mushrooms. She and her husband often hunted with their friends, and the two of them hunted in several states. For many years they made annual mushroom hunting trips to Michigan.

From 1969-2017 Mrs. Johnson was a resident of St. Albans, West Virginia, where she was active in the St. Albans Garden Club and a devoted member of St. Andrews United Methodist Church. While in St. Albans she and Dr. Johnson hosted a well-known Friday night conversation group in their home with several members of their Sunday School class.

She was always humble and was always attentive to people, sending cards and making calls to let them know they were cared about.

Mrs. Johnson was predeceased by her mother and father, and her sisters Lucille Larkey Rodeffer and Jewel Larkey Bertsch.

She is survived by her husband, Dr. Gordon F. Johnson; her son, Eric (“Rick”) Johnson (wife Carol) of Canton, Georgia; daughter Lesa Johnson Hackett (husband Dan) of Chillicothe, Ohio, and grandchildren Beth Crowley (Smyrna, Georgia), Michael Hackett; and Kate Johnson (Woodstock, Georgia).

Contributions may be made to St. Andrews United Methodist Church, St. Albans, West Virginia.

A Graveside Service will be held Friday, October 15 at 2:30PM at Fairmount Cemetery, Camden.