Mother Juanita Cooper Johnson A homegoing celebration for Mrs. Juanita Cooper Johnson of Tampa, Florida who passed away on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 will be held Saturday, March 2nd, 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church of College Hill, 3838 N. 29th Street, Rev. S. Evan Burrows, pastor, Rev. Christopher Jarnegan, officiating.
The interment will be in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery. Mrs. Juanita Cooper Johnson was born August 18, 1931 to the late Charlie and Essie Cooper in Savannah, GA, as the youngest of four siblings. Mrs. Johnson was the mother of two young men; Alan Cooper of Boca Raton, Florida, and Windell Roberson of Tampa, Florida.
After the passing of her mother, Mrs. Johnson moved with her aunt, Anna Cooper, to Miami, Florida. It was there she matriculated through Dade County public schools and found her passion for dance. Mrs. Johnson followed her dreams of being a professional dancer, spending many years dancing for African American artists on the “Chitlin’ Circuit”.
One of her fondest memories was dancing on tour with “Little Richard”. Mrs. Johnson accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior as a young adult and committed her life to his service. Maturing, she decided to put her dancing shoes down to help others.
Mrs. Johnson became a home health aide, helping the elderly and handicapped. She found joy in helping other people feel better. After the death of her husband, Hilliard Duplechain in San Diego, California, Mrs. Johnson, relocated to Key West, Florida.
It was there she became a Mother in the Church of God in Christ, spending many days evangelizing and counseling parishioners and community members in need. After a second retirement in 2002, Mrs. Johnson relocated to Tampa, Florida. She quickly became a member of The First Baptist Church of College Hill, under Pastor Abraham Brown, she was accepted as one of the Mothers of the church, a title she held dearly.
Through this new role came great relationships, significantly with Mother Elizabeth Wynn, with whom she would have morning prayer, daily at 5:00 a.m. Mrs. Johnson hobbies included sewing, collecting ceramic angels and finding the diamond in the rough at thrift shops across the area. Mrs. Johnson was preceded in death by her husband, Luther Johnson; parents, Charlie and Essie Cooper; brothers, Prather Cooper, Lester Cooper and Jessie Cooper. She leaves to cherish memories of her life with her sons, Alan Cooper of Boca Raton, Florida and Windell Roberson of Tampa, Florida; grandson, Kory (Xonjenise) Roberson of Odessa, Texas; great-grandchildren, J’racin Roberson, King Roberson and Kijion Roberson all of Odessa, Texas; devoted cousin and god-daughter, Lois Albury Williams; nieces, Edith Lane and Jackie Williams; and a host friends and loved ones.
The visitation will be held at Aikens Funeral Home on Friday, March 1st from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. The family and friends are asked to meet at the church on Saturday for the service.
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