Marilyn E. Johnson

Mrs. Marilyn E. Johnson, 83, of Macon, MS passed away Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at Oakwood Retirement Community in Brooksville, MS. A funeral service is planned for Friday, August 15, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Brooksville Mennonite Church, Brooksville, MS. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church Thursday, August 14, 2025, from 6 - 8 p.m. Memorials may be made to Oakwood Retirement Community, 55 Oakwood Drive, Brooksville, MS 39739. Cockrell Funeral home is honored to be entrusted with arrangements.

Marilyn Ella Jantz Johnson was born on March 19, 1942, into the home of Henry and Matilda Nightingale Jantz at Fairview, Oklahoma. She slipped away in the early morning hours on Aug. 12, 2025 at the age of 83. Marilyn did not have any brothers, but she did have five older sisters. Her father was sometimes referred to as “Hill Henry” because the farm was on a hilltop. Marilyn grew up milking cows, then walking to Standard School, rural Fairview, and coming home to milk cows again. Many evenings the family spent singing. This would prove to be a comfort in later years to deal with the frustrations of life. She was baptized on Feb. 21, 1954, becoming a member of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. She served God faithfully through her many trials and disappointments. On April 3, 1960, she was married to Roger Johnson of Walnut Hill, Florida. In due time, they had a beautiful son named Roderick Scott. Upon noticing he was not developing properly, he was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease called tuberous sclerosis. He would always be referred to as ” Roddy” even into his thirties. He learned only a few words, but was strong and quite ambitious; and very capable of mischief and reckless behavior. When Roddy was seven, it was decided he could not be handled at home. A suitable home for the mentally impaired was found in Ellisvillle, Mississippi. Marilyn would take him on overnight outings and make sure he got some of his favorite food. On a cold January day in 2000 Roddy died just short of his 38 th birthday. When Marilyn was around 27, she was left alone and to make her own way. She returned to Walnut Hill, Florida and began nurses training. She was involved in nursing for a number of years. In 1977 she moved back to Macon, Mississippi where she built a house on the farm that the Johnson family helped her retain. Marilyn was always frugal and made her limited income reach. Her sister and husband, Howard and Jaletta Yost, and family also moved to Mississippi in 1978. Being that Marilyn was alone she was accepted as part of the Yost family. She retained that place unto the end. In the fall of 1978, she had a job offer to teach at South Haven Mennonite School, Macon, Mississippi. This was the beginning of a teaching career. She started with the 5th and 6 th grades, and then later taught 3 rd and 4 th . As a teacher she believed in structure, classroom order, neat work, and good penmanship. In her final year of teaching, she taught in the Winton school in California. Upon returning home to Mississippi, she again had a career change. She began working as secretary for Superior Fish, Macon, Mississippi. She remained at Superior until her retirement. She enjoyed traveling, going to Europe and the Holy Lands in 1975, and later to Nigeria to visit a nephew and family. In the summer of 2006 she visited Holland, Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland. She enjoyed cardmaking and of course, being with friends. She lived in her house until 2017. As her health declined, she moved to a duplex in Brooksville, Mississippi. She enjoyed the five years in the little town of Brooksville. As dementia begin to set in, she moved to Oakwood Retirement Community in 2023.Marilyn has left us with lessons that were taught by example. She was forgiving and rejoiced with those for whom life was better. Dementia was yet another adversity. If her needs could not always be promptly tended to, she patiently waited. We will remember her for her courage, tenacity, and acceptance of life’s disappointments. 

Her survivors include two sisters, Viola Smith, Jaletta Yost both of Brooksville, Mississippi, and the Yost family. She also had a special relationship with Brandon and Judith Koehn and sons. She was preceded in death by her parents, parents-in-law, three sisters, a son, and five brothers-in-law.