Helen R. Johnson

Helen R. Johnson passed from this life to the next on May 13. She was born on June 12, 1922, in Campbellsville, KY. She was preceded in death by her mother, Clara Rhinehart, her father, Lester Rhinehart, her sister, Cecil Rhinehart, her brother, Forest Rhinehart, and her husband, Lloyd Johnson. She is survived by her son, Dr. Larry Johnson (wife, Ann); her daughter Trudy Williams; five grandchildren, Andrea Greer, Renee Walden, David Johnson, Andrew Johnson, and Whitney Buehler; five great-grandchildren, Owen Johnson, Emma Kate Johnson, Declan Buehler, Daylin Greer, and Alexis Greer; special friend, Shelby Parker; and nieces, Diana Martin, Phyllis Venable, Norma Moore, and Glenda Osborne.
She graduated from Campbellsville High School and attended Campbellsville College. She worked as a bookkeeper at Weatherford and Robinson Hardware in Campbellsville. During World War II she ventured to Dayton, Ohio, where she worked for the U.S. Army Air Force at Wright Field. While in Dayton, she met Lloyd Johnson, whom she later married and they established residence in the Springdale Community in the Kingsport, TN area. Helen was a faithful member of Springdale Baptist Church from shortly after its inception until her death. She served her church as pianist, sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and served in the Women's Missionary Union.
She attended beauty school, became an accomplished beautician and worked at J. Fred Johnson Department Store until establishing a small beauty parlor in the basement of her home, where she continued to serve selected customers for several years. She later displayed her talents as a seamstress in the alteration
departments of Hess's, Proffitt's and Belk's. Helen continued to perform alterations for several customers from her home and later in the Brookdale Kingsport Assisted Living facility, where she continued to sew and play the keyboard until shortly before her death. The family would like to thank the staff at Brookdale Kingsport Assisted Living for their years of caring for Helen and the nurses and staff at Gentiva Hospice for providing comfort to Helen in her final days.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 20 beginning at 10:00 AM at Springdale Missionary Baptist Church (1616 Haga Road). A celebration of life will be held at the church at 11:00 AM. Graveside services will follow the celebration of life at 1:00 PM at the cemetery of East Tennessee Funeral Home at 2630 Highway 75.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to Springdale Baptist Church or to the local chapter of Gideon's International.
This obituary is lovingly written by the Johnson family. Trinity Memorial Centers Funeral Home (423-723-8177) is honored to serve them.