Obituary of Donna Patricia Johnson

DONNA PATRICIA JOHNSON OBITUARY

The matriarch of our family, Donna Patricia Johnson, died on April 14, 2023, in Dallas Texas at the age of 82. She was born on November 29, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois.  Her father, Alfred “AJ” Smith was a self- employed businessman.  Her mother, Velma Smith, was an executive assistant working for the County.  Though they were not college educated, they imbued Donna and her brother with the idea that education was the key to success.

Donna Patricia Johnson was educated in the City of Chicago public school system and credited her experiences there as influencing her desire to become an educator.  She went on to matriculate at Roosevelt University, receiving a Batchelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Master of Supervision and Administration.

While at Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois, she met and married Raymond E Johnson, III.  After having two children, Donna and family followed Raymond’s career with AT&T to New York, Kansas and then settled in Dallas, Texas in 1975.

In her early years as an educator, Donna became an early scholar and teacher of African American Studies.  She spent time researching, writing and imparting the significance of the African American experience to her students, family and friends before it was chic. She taught high school in Kansas City, Missouri, where she was awarded Secondary Teacher of America. She moved to Dallas, Texas where she taught at multiple schools. She subsequently became Principal of Metropolitan Education Center, where she focused on helping students that were most at risk.  There, she was awarded Outstanding Administrator during her tenure with the Dallas Independent School District.

In Dallas, Donna flourished professionally, spiritually, and socially.  She was a 47-year member of her church, St Luke “Community” United Methodist Church, Dallas, TX, where she was ever present in outreach programs.  In addition, she participated in numerous organizations including League of Women Voters, National Council of Negro Women Voters, Meals on Wheels, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, the African American Museum of Dallas and the Dallas Museum of Art.   

Donna Patricia Johnson had a passion for the arts, physical fitness, travel, song and dance.  She was committed to community and extremely dedicated to family. She passed those passions along to her children and grandchildren.

She is survived by her son, Alfred Chip Johnson, daughter-in-law, Dawn Thornton Johnson, daughter, Donna Johnson Harvey, son-in-law, Gutyon Harvey, grandchildren, Bryce Johnson, Guyton Harvey II, Kendall Johnson, Clare Harvey, and a host of family and friends. A private Celebration of Life for family and friends will be held September 16, 2023 at the African American Museum, Dallas, TX. The family ask that you share a memory of Donna at https://blackandclark.com/tribute/current-services/index.html and make donations to the African American Museum of Dallas, https://aamdallas.org in lieu of flowers.