Her Life......Her Legacy Lucenia Johnson was a wonderful woman who cared about her family. She was a strong woman who always put family first and who always had a desire to help others.
Lucenia, daughter of John Wesley Huffman and Lula Harris Huffman, was born on February 18, 1933, in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Her dad worked for the railroad while her mother stayed home and looked after her and her older sister, Viola. She and her sister attended Elementary School at Buffalo Junior High in Attala County Mississippi. Afterwards, their dad enrolled them in High School at Mary Holmes Junior College in West Point, Mississippi.
After graduating from Mary Holmes in 1952, Lucenia and her sister moved to Chicago. There, Lucenia started out working at a dry cleaner. Later, he met her husband, Eugene Johnson, and was married on February 1, 1958. They had four children-- Vanessa, Rhae, Beth and Jeff. She had three daughters but always wanted a little boy. She finally got it. Although she dropped her maiden name, she never lets us forget it. Her eyes would light up every time she saw, Huffman, in a newspaper or magazine.
In 1962, mom started taking night classes at Wilson Jr. College. Our dad would drop her off and she would return home on the bus. For her sewing class, she handmade beautiful white dress for her first born, Vanessa. As time went on, commuting back & forth at night with the addition of her second daughter Rhae, now became too much; so mom decided to stay at home to take care all of us, while our dad worked at the Department of Welfare until he retired in 1985. During that time, she would come to sew many outfits for herself as well as for us for school, Christian programs, graduations, and Halloween. The pumpkin costume she made fir her youngest daughter, Beth, took first place prize. Mom was so talented at sewing, that she was asked to sew evening outfits for a few neighbors.
Our mom was, also, very talented in painting. She painted mostly oil paintings and a few watercolors throughout her life. She would even paint birthday and Christmas cards to send to family and friends. Her oldest daughter even inherited the same talent. In addition, she was a wonderful cook and didn't mind telling us that our dad wouldn't eat anyone else's cooking. She also enjoyed reading and was always clipping out newspaper articles for recipes or helpful advice. One she clipped was about what to do when a child choke -- which did happen, but she knew what to do to save Jeff's life -- her only son.
She also enjoyed listening to music. Some of her favorites were B.B. King and the Eagles. Her favorite hymns were, Wait Until Jesus Comes (Canton Singers). My Mind Is Made Up (Marvin Yancy), and His Eye Is on The Sparrow (Marvin Gaye). She also enjoyed watching baseball, her horses, fishing and later golf. Even though she spent many years in Chicago, carving out a new life, she dreamed of returning home and having a house built.
So, after our dad was stricken with Alzheimer's mom decided it was time to move back to Mississippi. Mom took care of our dad until he passed away. Mom spent the rest of her time, working in her rose garden and with us.
In 2012, our mom had survived colon cancer. In April 2022, she was diagnosed with having diverticulitis. Although, she had been successfully treated, the ordeal of going through it at her age, had taken its toll.
Those who knew our mom always said she was a really nice lady or really kind-hearted, and that she really was. Moreover, she was a wonderful woman who loved her family and gave her all to us; and she will always be remembered and appreciated by those who knew her.
Lucenia Huffman Johnson leaves behind her four children, Vanessa (Mario), Rhae, Beth and Jeff; her grandsons, Gene and Tony; and her great granddaughter, Tamia; preceded in death by her father, John Wesley Huffman; her mother, Lula Harris Huffman; her husband, Eugene Johnson; her only sister, Viola Gray; her cousin Allie D. Thompson; and her grandson, Marshall Lerone Washington. She, also, leaves behind family members, Doris Johnson and Nancy, David Thompson and Janice, Wardine Huffman Brown, Bernard and Sarah; and friends, including longtime friend, Sara Hennings.
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