Joycelyn V. Johnson was the firstborn child of Leo B. and Dorothy S. Johnson. Upon the completion of God's assignments for her, on June 21, 2022, she earned her wings and joined her parents and the heavenly host of her ancestors.

A graduate of Atkins High School, class of 1967, she earned her B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Social Work from Bennett College Greensboro, NC and completed a Gerontology Fellowship at Livingstone College. She was employed by Wake Forest Baptist Health in the Office Graduate Medical Education, as the Senior Graduate Medical Education Specialist and Assistant Designated Institutional Official. Previously she worked in the Respiratory Care and Social Work Departments.

She was a lifelong member of Mars Hill Baptist Church where she actively participated in and initiated numerous programs locally and statewide that included but are not limited to Sunday School and Missionary Departments. She enjoyed music, sports, traveling, game shows and solving Sudoku puzzles.

She was elected to serve on the Winston-Salem City Council representing the East Ward from December 6, 1993 until December 7, 2009. During her term she was Chair of the Public Works Committee and Member of the Finance and Community General Housing Committees. She held the first semiannual East Ward Town Hall Meetings in Winston-Salem to address citizens' concerns and encourage community participation in all phases of government.

Statewide, she served on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina League of Municipalities for District IX and the NCLM Finance Committee. She was a member and President of the North Carolina League of Municipalities. She was also President and Member of the North Carolina Black Elected Municipal Officials and a member of Women in Municipal Government. She initiated the effort to start the NCLM Leadership Foundation Board which is dedicated to the training and education of NC municipal elected and appointed officials.

Nationally, she was a member of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities, the National League of Cities' Council on Youth, Education and Family; member, Vice Chair and Chairperson of the University Communities Council for National League of Cities - 2004-2009, the National League of Cities' Community Economic Development Steering and Policy Committees.

Her awards are numerous indicating her service to her community. The City of Winston-Salem named their Public Works Building the Joycelyn V. Johnson Municipal Service Building in recognition of her service to the City and its residents. She became an HBCU Living Legend, joined noted MLK Noon Day Community Service Awardees and was awarded the Hero Award for Belonging by the senior leadership at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.

Those who will cherish her legacy include her son, Frederick L. Johnson; siblings, Deltra J. (Horace) Bonner, Millicent J. (Herbert) Oliver and Leo Raymont (Lisa) Johnson; nieces Angela Bonner, Lauren Johnson and Addison Bonner; nephews, Anthony (Karen) Bonner, Justin Oliver and Brandon Johnson; and a close circle of extended family, friends and colleagues.

Funeral Service will be at 12 Noon on Saturday, July 2, 2022 at Mars Hill Baptist Church. The family will greet friends from 5PM~7PM on Friday, July 1, 2022 at Clark S. Brown & Sons Funeral Home and Saturday from 11:30 AM until the funeral hour at the church. Interment will be in the New Evergreen Cemetery.

Contributor's choice in her memory can be made to: Bennett College, Attn: Institutional Advancement, 900 E. Washington Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 and/or

WS/FC Emancipation Association, P.O. Box 1204, Winston-Salem, NC 27102

For a copy of funeral program click here