Sue Jane Johnson

Sue Jane Ashmore Johnson passed away Friday, August 26, 2022. Services will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 1, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home with Rev. Wayne Williams officiating. Burial will follow at Bosqueville Cemetery. Visitation will be 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Wednesday, August 31, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home.

Sue was born January 21, 1947, in Burton, Texas, to James Melvin Ashmore, Jr. and Ora Lee Lucile Knebel Ashmore. They lived in Carmine until she was three, when they moved to Boling, Texas, where her parents remained. Sue graduated from Boling High School in 1965, and from Sam Houston State University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts in teaching before beginning work on her master’s degree. Sue married Randee Buice Johnson of Waco, on January 18, 1969, after the two met at Sam Houston State University, where both majored in political science. She and Randee both pursued master’s degrees at SHSU, he in political science and she in English literature. While living in Huntsville, she taught English at Splendora High School for one year.

She and Randee moved to the China Spring area in 1971, where they remained. She taught English in Waco ISD for the next 31 years, first at Wiley Junior High School, then at University Junior High School, and finally at University High School, from which she retired in 2002. While teaching, she sponsored many extracurricular activities such as Student Council, the school newspaper, UJHS Spirit Club, National Honor Society and Junior Honor Society, Texas Association of Future Educators, and the Challenge Team. During her teaching career, she taught numerous workshops to teachers, served as department chair, and received many honors. The honors most dear to her were University JHS’s Teacher of the Year, the Texas Parent-Teacher Association’s Outstanding Teacher Award, University High School’s 1991 Teacher of the Year, being one of six Waco ISD’s Outstanding Teachers in 1991, and the Spirit Award recipient several times from University High School’s athletic department.

Sue’s retirement in 2002 only lasted a few months before she became Education Services Manager at the Waco Tribune-Herald, where she worked for five years, retiring in 2007. That job included writing a Kids’ Kopy published from September through May with puzzles, good citizenship articles, etc. She taught aerobics through MCC’s Continuing Education Department for many years. Sue was a member of Waco’s First United Methodist Church, Beta Sigma Phi’s Xi Alpha Beta Zeta chapter, Waco-McLennan County Retired Teachers Association, Storybook Christmas Board, and formerly, a member of Alpha Delta Kappa.

Sue is preceded in death by her husband of almost 49 years, Randee Buice Johnson, who passed in 2017; father, who passed in 1985, and mother, who passed in 2016; her dear aunts, Addie Mae Ashmore Lockwood, Gladys Knebel Ponfick, and Evelyn Knebel Fincher; and dear friends, Ann Roznovsky, Clydene Gilmer, and Sharon Newman.

She is survived by her aunt, Lucile Knebel Burttschell, of Sweeny and husband, Frank; many cousins, including Bud Lockwood, Walter Ponfick, Jr., Ralph Ponfick, Jimmy Ponfick, Jan Burttschell Hill, Judith Burttschell Calhoun, and Jill Burttschell; two “adopted” sons, Rodney Smith and wife, Stacey, and Wayne Rogers and wife, Nicole; goddaughter, Tracey Palermo; special former neighbor, Collin Mitchell Avila and husband, Pablo. Her extended family included many “sister” friends as well: Linda Albright, Elaine Davis Bennett, Shirley Glockzin, Sophie Gates, Annette Perez, Judy Gilbert, Sandra Nelson, and Rosemary Patterson, as well as her many Beta Sigma Phi sisters and aerobics friends. Her most cherished title was MJ to grandchildren, Sydney, Reagan, London, and C.C.

Pallbearers are Trey Lloyd, Tarl Lloyd, Jr., Tony Miles, David Long, Maurea Crain, Pedro Perez, Gene Metetal, and William Baylor Gates, Jr.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Renew Church, 6509 Bosque Blvd., Waco, TX 76710, to Storybook Christmas, P.O. Box 6088, Waco, TX 76706, to Boling United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 272, Boling, TX 77420, or to First United Methodist Church, 4901 Cobbs Dr., Waco, TX 76710.