Joseph R. Johnson,Sr.

Mr. Joseph Roosevelt Johnson, Sr. 82, of Huntersville, NC. passed away Wednesday, March 6,2019 at his residence. Funeral service will be held Thursday, March 14, 2019 at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3400 Beatties Ford Road Charlotte, NC 28216. Visitation will begin at 11:00 am and the service will follow at 12:00 pm. Interment will be in Gethsemane Memorial Gardens 1620 Sugar Creek Rd. West Charlotte, NC28262.

Joseph Roosevelt Johnson (Joe) was born to Theodore and Willie-Mae Johnson (née Berry) on April 30, 1936 in Winston-Salem, NC. He attended Atkins High School and graduated from North Carolina A&T University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He was also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Throughout his career, Joe worked at Franklin Arsenal in Philadelphia, PA and the Department of Defense at Eglin AFB. He met his wife Esther Johnson (née Samaroo) in Philadelphia, and they were married on April 21, 1973; they would have celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary next month. Joe often referred to Esther as his angel and said the best decision he ever made was marrying her.

Joe valued family above all. He wasn’t a fan of fancy vacations; instead, he always preferred to spend his vacations visiting with family. Nothing made him happier than sitting out on the porch with his sisters and nephew. His favorite vacation was visiting family in Trinidad and Tobago. However, for Joe, vacations were never just about enjoyment. It was very important to him that his children were exposed to and understood socio-economic difference and racial injustice. When he took them on a cross-country vacation which included stops at the Grand Canyon, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Mexico, he always made it a priority to take them to affluent and underserved communities. He wanted his children to understand inequity and how and why it existed, and most importantly, that they had a responsibility to combat it by serving others.

Everyone who knew Joe can attest to the fact that he was unapologetically black. He often reminisced about how he and his best friend Skip Douthit (dec) used to travel all over the northeast to hear Malcolm X speak. Joe’s zeal for Malcolm X was easy to understand: he loved his people, and he believed fervently that everyone had a responsibility to speak up against injustice and racism, even at the expense of personal gain. It wasn’t just a belief; Joe lived it.

Joe had other passions. He was a lifelong learner, always reading and studying. Vigorous debate was always a part of this process. He loved to study the bible, keeping meticulous notes. Joe was also an extremely talented artist. In fact, his drawings hang framed in his relatives’ homes. He also loved to play golf with his friends Linwood Rogers (dec), Roy Corlew, and Reggie Lewis, among others, followed by long lunches punctuated with smack talking and roaring laughter. He had such a genuine, spirited laugh. In his golden years, Joe loved spending time with his grandchildren and his dog Sly.

Left to cherish his memory: wife, Esther Samaroo Johnson, children Marquita, Joseph Jr. (m. Madra), Nadia, grandchildren Khalil, Makenzie, Joseph III (dec), Savannah, Jonah, Quimara, Quitaya, Quishanna, Atlas, Quiniya, Quijhanae, Quian, great grandchildren Nagee, Jamir, Jaziya, Josh, Jordan, Jalen, Lily, Laila, Tre’amid, Tori’sani, Samone, sisters Mimi and Shelly, nephews and nieces Martino W. (m. Patrice), Martino R., Sita, Gita, Rita, Nita, Sidney, Indra, Rajmanie, Meera, Mati, Carlos, Robin, Suruj, Ravi, Liza, Sirbrina, Arielle, Danielle, Giselle, and a host of other great nephews and nieces. relatives, the Berry family, Makenzie and Mary Crump, Rev. Kristen J. R. Berry, Elaine Ravnell, and a host of other loving family members.