Mary Posey Johnson

Mary P. Johnson peacefully passed away at Winter Haven Hospital on Sunday August 24, 2008 after a major stroke. She had resided at Spring Haven Retirement Center where she enjoyed and cherished her many friends. Mary Elizabeth Presnell Posey Johnson was born December 26, 1924 in Farminton, Missouri to Ina Ross Presnell and William Archie Presnell. She grew up and graduated from high school in Macon, Mississippi. A few short years after graduation mary met James Monroe Posey in Forsyth Georgia where she was working at the local 5 and 10 cents store. They were married in 1942 and eventually had a family with 5 small children before they divorced. Most of her life, however, was spent in Americus where she met and married Jimmy Johnson. Four more children would be born into the family. In 1957 Mary, a single parent with five children, came to Americus to accept a position as a linotype operator with the Americus Times Recorder, where she worked for 40 years until retirement in 1997. As a member of the composition room staff she worked tirelessly to do her part as the newspaper transitioned through six progressively more modern production systems from the old linotype printing technology to the most modern computer. She truly loved her newspaper family and would say upon retirement that it felt like she was leaving the greater part of her life there. In addition to her Times-Recorder career, for almost 20 years, Mrs. Johnson was on the street at 4 am every morning with her part time job as local agent for the Atlanta Constitution. She worked hard to support her children. She is survived by her children: Rev. J. Stephen Posey, Broken Arrow, OK; Dr. Jeanne Maher, Madison, Wisconsin; Linda Westmoreland, Atlanta, GA; Margie (Mrs. Wally) Adams, Winter Haven, FL; Mike Posey O'Rourke, West Palm Beach, FL; Jin Johnson, Albany, GA; Paul Johnson, Columbus, GA; Susan Garzon, Valrico, FL, and her estranged husband Jimmy Johnson, Americus, GA; 11 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. She is also survived by sisters, Virginia O'Rourke, Anna Ruth Thomas, Jessie Parker, and Jean Newman, as well as many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, August 27, from the chapel of Hancock Funeral Home. Interment will follow in Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. Rev. J. Stephen Posey will officiate. Hancock Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.