A senate RESOLUTION

TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE UPON THE PASSING OF Mrs. DORIS LEEVY JOHNSON OF COLUMBIA, TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE, AND TO EXTEND THE DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate were deeply saddened by the passing of Mrs. Doris Leevy Johnson of Columbia on February 8, 2023; and

Whereas, a native of Columbia, Mrs. Leevy Johnson was the daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. George and Lottie Wright. A graduate of C.A. Johnson High School, she furthered her education at West Virginia State University where she earned a bachelor's degree in 1962. She went on to earn a master's degree in guidance counseling from Ohio State University in 1967. A lifelong educator, she began teaching at W.A. Perry Middle School; and

Whereas, on July 6, 1968, she married I.S. Leevy Johnson, a former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. She took a break from her teaching career to raise their two children George and Chris. She also was a doting and beloved grandmother to their four grandchildren. She returned to work at Benedict College serving as a freshman counselor, director of Title III, and as the associate vice president for Institutional Advancement, a position from which she recently retired. She also served on the Benedict College Board of Trustees; and

Whereas, at the time of her death, Mrs. Leevy Johnson was the public relations director of Leevy's Funeral Home and the secretary/treasurer of its parent company, Leevy Johnson Funeral Home, Inc.; and

Whereas, a pillar in the Columbia community, Mrs. Leevy Johnson spent her life in service to others as a member of numerous organizations. Among them, she was an alumna member of the Columbia (SC) Chapter of the Links, Inc., whose members described her as a gentle person with a quiet calming demeanor who provided guidance to hundreds of children in Richland County and who inspired them to think critically. Other memberships included Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., The Moles, and Smart Set, and

Whereas, a child of God, she was a faithful member of Brookland Baptist Church; and

Whereas, she leaves to cherish her memory her beloved husband, the Honorable I.S. Leevy Johnson, their sons, George and his wife Michelle, Chris and his wife Cynthia, and their four grandchildren Rachel, Ryann, Leah, and Ian. A gentle spirit who leaves behind a legacy of service to the people of Columbia, she will be greatly missed. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, express their profound sorrow upon the passing of Mrs. Doris Leevy Johnson of Columbia, celebrate her life, and extend the deepest sympathy to her family and many friends.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to her husband, the Honorable I.S. Leevy Johnson.

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