In
Memory of Charles H. Johnson
Charles Herbert Johnson, an astute
businessman, served the public for 52 years in the Houston Metropolitan area as CEO of C.
Johnson Funeral Home. Charles expired Sunday April 28, 2002. He was born July 25, 1925 to
Fred and Bessie Powell Johnson. Charles grew up around cemeteries where his father and
family were all professional gravediggers. In 1934, his parents opened Johnson Funeral
Home at 1901 Dowling Street.
When Charles graduated from Jack Yates High School in 1941, he was aware that no Texas
Black Colleges offered degrees in accounting and no white Texas colleges would admit
Blacks, so he applied to Hampton Institute in Virginia and qualified for state funds to
matriculate out of Texas. His education was interrupted when he was drafted to serve in
the US Army/Air Force from1943 - 1946. In 1947, he returned to Hampton Institute (under
the GI Bill), received his BS degree in Business (1948). His first job, as bookkeeper at
the Veterans Hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama, was short-lived due to his father's mild heart
attack. He immediately returned to Houston to help his mother operate the business. By
fate, he had decided to study for his Funeral Director's license
and received it in 1946. He later enrolled in mortuary school and received his Embalmer's
license in 1950, which initiated the second generation of operation of the family
business.
Charles met Betty Hicks when he returned to Hampton; they were married two years later
(6/5/49) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. To this union, two sons were born Ronald Charles and Walter
Frederick "Ricky" to join their sister Cheryl, fondly called "Ditty".
Charles and Betty became primary operators of Johnson Funeral Home.
During the '70's, Charles simultaneously earned his MBA (Master of Business
Administration) from Texas Southern University (TSU) and taught Black Economics
Development/Ghetto Economics at the University of Houston in the Black Studies program. He
served on numerous community boards (Florence Crittendon Home for Unwed Mothers, Harris
County Hospital District, Boy Scouts of America, HELP (Human Enrichment of Life Programs,
Harris County Grand Jury (2 panels), Harris County Medical Examiner Community board and
others, while managing the funeral home with the assistance of family and a supportive
staff. He was an active member of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church.
For his many community efforts, he received numerous awards and accolades from Presidents
of the United States, Governors of the State of Texas, Texas State House of
Representatives, and Hampton University alumni associations on the local, regional and
national levels.
Charles established the Fred C. Johnson Scholarship beginning with one $500 scholarship
awarded in 1961 to a Jack Yates High School graduate. The annual awards now range from
$1,000- $4,000 and have benefited more than 80 students in excess of $70,000. Deserving
high school graduates, who plan to attend historically Black colleges, are selected from
Jack Yates, Jesse Jones, James Madison, Ross Sterling, Willowridge and E. E. Worthing.
Charles leaves the following loved ones to mourn his loss: wife Betty Hicks Johnson,
daughter Cheryl D. Lee, two sons Ronald C. Johnson, and Walter F. Johnson, six
grandchildren, two great grandchildren, one sister Freddie Guess and her family, the Ford
and Hicks families, and many other precious and loving relatives and friends.
Charles never met a stranger, and his impact on those with whom he interacted showed the
many facets of his warm, gregarious personality.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to your charity of
choice or the Fred C. Johnson Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 784, Houston, Texas 77001 or the
Charles H. and Betty H. Johnson Family Endowment, Hampton University, Alumni Affairs,
Hampton, Virginia 23668.
Funeral services were held on May 3, 2002 at the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church with Pastor
William A. Lawson, officiating. In addition to Amazing Grace by Jacqueline Bostic,
participants included: Old Testament and New Testament readings by Rev. J.D. Phillips,
pastor of Westbury United Church and Rev. Danny Davis, pastor of Jordan Grove Baptist
Church and prayer by Rev. Ronald K. Mouton, pastor of Bethel MBC. Expressions were
given by Wayne Sparrow of the Funeral Directors Association and family tributes were given
by Walter Johnson and Sam C. Guess. Tom Burton, Jr. directed the silent reading of the
obituary and Clarice Gatlin rendered "The Lord's Prayer" as a solo. Following
evangelistic remarks by Pastor Lawson, interment was made at Houston Memorial Gardens in
Pearland, Texas. Pallbearers were Ronald Johnson, Walter Johnson, Sam C. Guess, Fred C.
Guess, John F. Guess, Jr., Michael D. Campbell and Craig A. Johnson.
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