Zoretta Mitchell Johnson August 17, 1948 – January 15, 2019 Share this obituary Send Flowers Sign Guestbook| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Zoretta Mitchell Johnson, 70 years old, departed this life on January 15, 2019, Hopewell, NJ. She was born on August 17, 1948, Concord, NC. She attended the Mount Pleasant Public School System, and due to integration, she transferred from Logan High School to Mount Pleasant High School, where she graduated in 1966.
She attended Vorhees College, Denmark, SC and worked during the summers in Atlantic City. She discontinued her education at Vorhees, and moved to Atlantic City, NJ, where she enrolled at Atlantic Community College. Subsequently, she was employed by Hackney’s Restaurant, Consolidated Laundries, the American Red Cross Blood Donation Center, and finally the City of Atlantic City, where she was a member of the Atlantic City Police Department (ACPD) until her retirement.
She met and married Sammie L. Johnson, also an ACPD retiree; they were the first husband and wife couple on the force. During her 25 years of service, she served in the ACPD Vice Unit; the Safe Streets Program, where she walked a beat for many years; and the Crime Prevention Unit, where she took the lead of programs such as D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Program and the National Night Out Program, where she proudly sought out donations from community vendors to assist in the program’s activities.
Zoretta, affectionately known as “Peetie” by family and close friends, stressed the importance of family and education to her children and grandchildren. She shared her experiences with racial segregation in the South, and how it impacted her education, experiences, and life choices. She was adamant that whether it was an in-demand skill set from a trade school or a degree(s) via higher education, “it” needed to be obtained.
She was forever a confidant, with a listening ear and sound advise, which revolved around her infamous phrase, “Tell me what you want to do, and I’ll tell you how to make it happen”. Her honest advise and clarity of thought will truly be missed. She was predeceased by her parents, Walter and Ossie Mitchell; husband, Sammie L. Johnson; sisters, Pauline Mitchell and Janace Garvin (Huey); and her brothers Preston Mitchell (Betty), Ernest Mitchell, and Eugene Mitchell (Cynthia).
She leaves to cherish her memories, a daughter, Rita Johnson-Harvey of Princeton Junction, NJ; a son, Sammie L. Johnson, Jr. of Laurel, MD; and grandchildren, Jasmine Harvey, Jermaine Harvey, Jr., and Jordan Harvey; a sister Annie Mitchell Royal (Albert) of Piscataway, NJ; and many others, including a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. The funeral is scheduled for Saturday, January 26, 2019 at Barber Scotia College in Concord. The visitation will be held from 11:00 A.M.-Noon followed by the funeral service at Noon.
Lamb Funeral Home Inc. will be serving the family.
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