Laurie Louise Johnston's Obituary
Laurie Johnston, “Grandmamma J”, was born Laurie Louise Nicholson on November 13, 1927, in Athens, Georgia. She was the youngest child of Rev. D. B. Nicholson III and Dixie Belton Jay. Her brother, D. B. Nicholson IV and sister Dixie Franklin have preceded her in death. She was a graduate of Athens High School, and Bessie Tift College and the University of Georgia with a BA in history. She was raised in a strong Southern Baptist home; her father was the student ministries secretary for the SBC in Georgia.
In 1948, she married David Ware Johnston, PhD. Their children are James “Jim” Johnston, Patricia “Pattie” Hornsby, and Keith Johnston. As a family, they started in Athens, Georgia. Around 1950, they moved to Berkeley, California. About 1954, they moved to Macon, Georgia. In 1959, they moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In 1963, they settled in Gainesville, Florida. She is survived by these children, 9 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and niece Lynn Goins.
She was the life of the party and beloved by all. She loved all her family even if she couldn’t remember their names. She was a loving but fairly bad cook. Several of her grandsons lived with her during their college days, and many of extended family lived with her at times.
She was an active member of many churches throughout her life but always showed her love for Jesus by how she lived her life; always supportive, generous, and forgiving.
Through the years and helping to raise children and grandchildren, she was a substitute teacher in the Alachua Couty public schools, teaching American history and selling World Book Encyclopedias. Later she worked in several support positions at the University of Florida Medical Center, ending her career as a Administrative Assistant in the College of Pharmaceutics.
Her funeral service will be held at 11 AM Saturday, April 12th at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 NE 1st Street, in Gainesville Florida. Phone 352 372 4721.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to a local charity that has special meaning to you.
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