Darlene S. Johnson's Obituary
Darlene Smith Johnson was born on October 4, 1946, the only child of the late Arthur Smith, Jr. and the late Lucinda Harris Smith, in Portsmouth, Virginia. Her father instilled the value of an education and from her mother a sense of style and love of people, all enveloped in Christian love and faith. Starting out with a Catholic school education, she then attended I.C. Norcom High School, where she was well-liked, was an excellent student, and was known by her nickname, “Sophronia”. After graduating from Norcom in 1964, she moved to Washington, D.C. to attend business school. Although not finishing business school, she soon gained a position with the Federal Aviation Administration, as a secretary. It was there in 1967 she met a skinny gentleman from Loudoun County, Virginia by the name of Gene Johnson. After a period of courting, on September 21, 1968, Gene and Darlene Johnson were married in a small ceremony in Portsmouth, Virginia at Zion Baptist Church. It was on this day that the Johnson Family was established.
After a short period of time living in New York, Gene and Darlene moved to Falls Church, Virginia where the Johnson Family expanded with the birth of their daughter, Krystal. In 1972, Gene and Darlene moved to Sterling, Virginia, where the Johnson Family expanded again with the birth of their son, Marc, and where they have lived ever since. Darlene was a full-time housewife for many years, but was also involved in community work, including the Sterling Jaycees and Loudoun County’s Operation Match in the early 1980’s. It was during her time at Operation Match where she was encouraged to come back to the work, and joined Loudoun County Housing Services in 1987. For almost twenty-five years, she worked as a Section 8 Housing Counselor, not just assisting her clients in obtaining housing, but offering love, patience, compassion and advice to those that society looked down upon. She loved her job and the people she worked with, and worked with the County while dealing with the struggles of cancer until 2011. Darlene decided to go back to school to finish her college education, where she first attained her Associates Degree from Northern Virginia Community College in 1999, and in 2008, one year into her diagnosis with pancreatic cancer, she received her Bachelors of Sciences Degree in Human Services from Old Dominion University. Darlene had many hobbies and passions, including traveling, sewing, art, reading, going to the movies, and most notably, interior decorating, a passion that is seen throughout her home.
Darlene was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2007. Pancreatic cancer has an extraordinarily high mortality rate, with most people dying months after diagnosis. But through the power of faith, the support of family and friends, and the knowledge and skills of wonderful medical professionals, Darlene was able to live five years after her diagnosis, which puts her in a rare category for pancreatic cancer patients. Despite her fight and determination, Darlene was “called home” on April 11, 2012 at 3:15 pm at her home surrounded by family, friends, and her pastor.
Darlene leaves behind her husband of 43 years, Gene, their children, Krystal and Marc, both of Sterling, Virginia; Daughter-In-Law, Alicia Johnson, and granddaughter, Alaiyah Rose Johnson (“Rosebud”) also of Sterling, Virginia; Her uncle and aunt, Herbert and Elizabeth Smith and cousin, Victoria Smith-Mills of Portsmouth, Virginia; Goddaughter, Tiffany Brown of Sterling, Virginia; Godson, Robert Burton, Jr. of St. Mary’s County, Maryland, and a host of in-laws, cousins, friends and other relatives too numerous to name.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 from 10 to 11 am Shiloh Baptist Church 8310 Turning Leaf Lane, McLean, VA 22102.
Funeral services will begin at 11 am at the church.
Interment will follow in Rock Hill Cemetery, Round Hill, VA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to PanCan.org, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.
What’s your fondest memory of Darlene?
What’s a lesson you learned from Darlene?
Share a story where Darlene's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Darlene you’ll never forget.
How did Darlene make you smile?
