Brenda A Johnson

Brenda A. Johnson was born Sunday, May 13, 1956 to the late Charles Eugene Johnson, Sr. and the late Ruthie Mae Davis Johnson in Covington, Tennessee. As one who loved to travel, she transitioned to her eternal travel destination with the Lord on Sunday, May 31, 2020. Brenda valued relationships with those she loved most; however, her relationship with God was her most valuable. Those who knew her best, knew her daily faith walk with him and how much she covered her children and grandchildren in prayer more than herself.
  Brenda was a graduate of Northside High School, Class of 1974, in Memphis, Tennessee. While Memphis was home, she later moved to Dothan, Alabama in 1984 and quickly made it home raising her three children and settling down for her remaining years. She was an undisputable natural beauty who had keen intellect across various fields of study and many creative talents to include, drawing, sewing, singing, and crafting. Brenda knew the importance of education and always pursued higher learning, in her quest to catalog information. She attended Riley Business College and George W. Wallace College, in Dothan, Alabama where she obtained four Associates Degrees within the following disciplines: Accounting, Business Administration, Business & Office Automation Processing/Supervision Management, and Computerized Accounting, as well as a Honorary Diploma in Legal Assistant/Paralegal Studies from Stratford Career Institute and a host of other certifications. To her, you could never know too much and was a committed and astute learner which landed her on the Dean’s and President’s List multiple times. Brenda went on to earn scholarships for outstanding achievement and exceptional performance awards during her academic studies. 
Brenda was employed by the United States Army Aviation Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama working in civil service until she medically retired in 1995. Even after retirement, she committed her life to public service working in various community and administrative capacities, to include serving as a Crew Leader Supervisor for the United States Census Bureau. She regularly put her accounting degrees to use as a seasoned and long-term tax preparer, specifically, a Senior Tax Preparer and Advisor for various reputable tax companies., such as H&R Block, and most recently Liberty Tax Service. Her family knew tax season was a serious time for her, so much so, fifteen years ago after she had a heart transplant, the very next day she was sitting up in her hospital bed with a laptop preparing taxes. She was so grateful to have a new lease on life and did not want to waste any time serving others. Even during her kidney transplant in September 2019, she was already thinking about feeling better during the upcoming tax season to serve as many people as possible because her “regular clients” depended on her. 
Brenda was indeed a warrior in every sense of the word and very quick witted. For every second, minute, hour, day, week, month, and year for all 64 years of her life, Brenda fought to live, to laugh, to love and to be loved. She was undeniably a “tough cookie,” but she had the purest heart and love for those whose intentions were genuine and held her close. Brenda had the most outgoing personality and never met strangers; she had a way of connecting with others and making them feel welcomed. Her pride and joy were her children and grandchildren; she never missed an opportunity to spend countless time with them. She received so much joy “telling” her children every year what travel plans she had made for them and herself, be it, the annual transplant picnic in Birmingham, celebrating birthdays, a regular mini vacation in Tennessee or Florida, family reunions, or how she would be dividing her time between her children to spend the holidays. Brenda was a constant source of love and light in the lives of her grandchildren and always beamed with excitement when they were near. She actively served on the family reunion planning committee and proudly represented the Mack Davis genealogy. It was always important to her to stay connected to family history and expressed great joy when meeting new cousins.  Brenda LOVED her family hands down and never missed an opportunity to celebrate.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. Charles E. Johnson, Sr. and Mrs. Ruthie Mae Davis Johnson, as well as a big sister who passed away at birth who was affectionately known as “Little Ruby.” 
Brenda leaves behind her rich spirit and legacy through her loving and devoted children: one son, Dedrick Helms of Memphis, TN; and two daughters, Atica (Eric) Helms Thomas of Nashville, TN, and Reshunda (Anjurr) Henderson of Clermont, Florida; a dedicated and selfless fiancé, Charles Rivers, who graciously loved and cared for her for twenty-three years; nine grandchildren: Vincent Helms, Deaijia Helms, Mya Helms, Daylon Helms, Ahriss Henderson, Harmony Helms, Aiden Helms, Ari Henderson and Rohry Henderson; three brothers: Charles (Janice) Johnson, Jr., Garry (Patricia) Johnson, and Andra (Isabel) Boyd; and a host of nieces, a nephew, aunts uncles, cousins, friends, and a spoiled grand dog she enjoyed visiting named Blu. She also leaves behind several honorary daughters she’s stood in the gap and mothered, as well as some amazing women whom she valued as lifelong sisters (Margaret Davis, Lena Earley, & Scherryl Harrison), and some cherished very close friends who became family to her in Alabama. 
Brenda lived her life on her terms, unapologetically and with uncompromising character. It is said, “You don’t get to choose how you are going to die or when. You can only decide how you’re going to live.” She chose to live every day FREE and with lots of LOVE and LAUGHTER.

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