Rosa Johnson

COOLIDGE — Rosa B. Johnson, 83, of El Centro, Calif., and formerly of Coolidge, died on March 12, 2012, in San Diego.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud Coolidge Chapel. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Community Presbyterian Church of Coolidge, with Pastors Grady Whatley and Joel White officiating. Burial will be in Valley Memorial Park.
Mrs. Johnson was born on Aug. 2, 1928, in Grant, Okla., and was a daughter of Burnes and Tessie Hickman. She attended school there until age 13, when her family moved to Chandler. They moved to Coolidge in 1945. The next year she met Edward Johnson and they were married on June 2, 1946. They had 10 sons and six daughters.
She worked in the fields, as a housekeeper and for the Arizona Training Program at Coolidge for 17 years. She was very active in her church wherever she lived. She led a busy, productive life as a Christian mother and was devoted to her family and church.
Survivors include five daughters, Shirley Jackson of El Centro, Brenda Robinson of Flint, Mich., Gwendolyn Johnson of Tucson, Gina Byrd of Atlanta and Barbara Lanier of Coolidge; eight sons, Willie and Edward Johnson Jr. of Albuquerque, Clarence Johnson of Tucson, Johnny Johnson of Mesa, Wayne Johnson of Casa Grande, Richard Johnson of Eloy, Donnie Johnson of Salina, Kan., and Jonathan Johnson of Tucson; 59 grandchildren; 77 great-grandchildren; and 11 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, in 1987; a daughter, Joyce McGough; two sons, Robert and Ronnie Johnson; and three great-grandchildren, Azure and Ashant-i Johnson and Angel Sesma.