Extracted from The Shreveport Times (Shreveport, LA)
Friday, July 15, 2011

Mildred D. Johnson

SHREVEPORT, LA -- Services to celebrate the life of Mildred Davenport Johnson (Mrs. John Henry Johnson, Jr.) will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, July 16, 2011, at Rose-Neath Marshall Street Chapel. Officiating will be Dr. Scott Tatum and Mr. Ray Boswell. Interment will follow in Minden Cemetery, Minden, LA.

Mildred was born July 18, 1921 in Belcher, LA to Howard W. and Ethel Lafitte Davenport and passed away Tuesday, July 12, 2011. She grew up in Minden, LA and was a graduate of Minden High School. A proud member of the class of '39, she participated in all their annual reunions. Mildred was a graduate of Stephens College where she was a member of Delta Rho. She was also a graduate of Centenary College of Louisiana where she was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. Centenary College continued to be an important part of her life. She was a charter member of the Women's Endowment Quorum and supported other areas of the college, such as serving as class agent and member of the National Alumni Council.

Mildred married John H. Johnson, Jr. in 1942 and they enjoyed 58 years together before he died in 2000. They have two daughters, Marilyn Ethel Johnson King of Shreveport, LA and Marsha Johnson Enterline of Dayton, OH; and four grandchildren, Alicia Anne King Akins and husband, Paul Akins of McKinney, TX, James Richardson King of Fort Worth, TX, Sarah Elizabeth Enterline Roch and husband, Joshua Roch of Boston, MA, and Claire Lafitte Enterline of Portland, ME. She has one nephew, Jeff Robinson of Midlothian, VA, and two nieces, Jane Watson of Powhatan, VA, and Jennifer Johnson of Baton Rouge, LA.

Mildred's church has always been an important part of her life. In earlier years at Broadmoor Baptist Church, she taught young students and young adults in Sunday School. Later at First Baptist Church she taught the adult Gleaners class.

Mildred loved music and whenever possible, she supported the arts. She was life member of the Shreveport Symphony Guild and served on the Shreveport Symphony Board. Mildred was a member of Le Corps Magnifique of the Shreveport Symphony. She enjoyed and supported the Nena Plant Wideman Piano Competition which is held annually. Mildred loved Shreveport with generous involvement and supported many good causes in the community to make Shreveport a better place to live.

She was enthusiastic and enjoyed traveling to many countries of the world to observe their customs, and shared her experiences with groups on many occasions. Mildred truly believed life was full of wonders and joyous experiences and one should hold on to the joyful times.

The family expresses their sincere thanks to her kind caregivers, Tina Weller, Hattie Harris, and Janett Gennywell who helped her in her last days.

Honoring Mildred as pallbearers will be Will Blanchard, Dalton Dean, Hershel Downs, Robert C. Jackson, Richard King, T.J. Mims, George Plaxco, Andy Shehee, and Harold Summers. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Edward Cole, John Dalton, William Dalton, William T.F. Dykes, Gary B. Gilbreath, William Johnson, Dr. Randy Kirchner, John Gwin Morrison, Jeff Robinson and Dan Watson.

Memorials may be made to the John and Mildred Johnson Endowment Scholarship at Centenary College, 2911 Centenary Blvd., Shreveport, LA 71104 or First Baptist Church of Shreveport, 543 Ockley Drive, Shreveport, LA 71106.