Vertilee Johnson

Sister Vertilee Johnson was born December 2, 1923 in Yazoo County, Mississippi. She was the last surviving child of William Johnson and Nancy Garrett Johnson. Sis Johnson was educated in Holmes County Public School system and two years in the Cleveland Public School system. She moved to Cleveland in 1951 and stayed with her brother Hal and his wife Johnnie Mae Johnson until her death.

​She was employed at Highland View Nursing Facility for two years and afterward The Statler Hotel where she retired after twenty-seven years of service.

​Sis Johnson accepted Christ when she was eleven years old and has been a life-long member of the Church of God in Christ. She joined Williams Temple COGIC after coming to Cleveland and began to serve on the senior usher board, the Young Women’s Christian Council and the Courtesy Committee. She served faithfully until she became too ill to do so. She enjoyed attending the National Convocation in Memphis Tennessee and fellowshipping with the saints of God. Sis Johnson was ahonorary member of Life Church Ministries COGIC.

​Sis Johnson never married or had children of her own but she had the heart of a mother. She was affectionately known as Vert or Verti to all her nieces and nephews and friends. There was no one like Vertilee when it came to showing unconditional love.

​The Lord called Sis. Johnson home at the young age of 96 years on May 20, 2020 after a prolonged battle with Lymphoma. She was preceded in death by all thirteen of her siblings; Hal, Samuel, Allen, William Jr., Mango, Jesse, Henry, Matthew Johnson. Sisters, Girlee Johnson, Alberta Riley, Katie Redmond, Mary Hilliard, Elveda Price.

​She leaves to cherish her memory her loving sister-in-law Sis Johnnie Mae Johnson and a host of nieces, nephews, great, great-great nieces and nephews, Church family and friends. She will be greatly missed by her family.



“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates.”