Edna Victoria Waddill Johnston 98, of Lumberton, Texas was born November 9, 1907 at Lindale, Texas to William B. and Sarah Jane Hatcher Wadill. She passed away March 8, 2006 in Lumberton Rehabilitation Center in Lumberton, Texas. She is survived by 3 daughters, Dessie O. McBride of Humble, Texas, Nell E. Brock of Lumberton, Texas and Edna Wynona Kelley and husband Frank of Lufkin, Texas. She is also survived by 2 sons, George Robert (Bob) Johnston and wife Marie of Pleasant Plains, Arkansas and Charles Wyley Johnston and wife Connie of Angleton, Texas. She leaves 5 children, 23 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren and 30 great, great grandchildren.
She was married to Wyley Washington Johnston on January 29, 1925 when she was 17 years old. She was his faithful wife until he died in October 1975. They celebrated their 50th golden wedding anniversary the year Wyley died at age 82. They lived in Beaumont, Silsbee and Lumberton in their later years.
She was a wonderful mother and grandmother nurturing her children and grandchildren with all her precious love. She told all of her grandchildren that they were her favorite. They believed her and probably still do. She will be remembered by many grandchildren as the first person to pray with them and possibly the first to take them to church. She taught many to pray. Many grandchildren and great grandchildren will have fond memories of playing checkers and dominoes and with her cheating to let them win. Some will have fond memories of fishing with her on Cherokee creek. She loved to fish with a cane pole even if she were only catching small perch keeping a precise count of every tiny or large fish she caught. Her granddaughters will remember putting her make up on and fixing her hair. Her grandsons will have memories of her playing baseball with them and cooking their favorite pie for them. She was cherished by her family and left a legacy of love.
She was loved by many friends and her church family for her high morals and Christian faith. She will be missed and all will cherish their memories of MaMaw Johnston.
Services will be conducted at 10:00AM on Friday, March 10, 2006 at Farmer Funeral Home Chapel in Silsbee, Texas by Reverend Arthur Bridges of Zavalla, Texas. She will be interred beside Wyley at Resthaven Cemetery in Silsbee, Texas.
Pallbearers will be her grandsons Ronnie C. Williams, Jimmy W. Williams, Charles R. Johnston, Deryl R. Kelley, Gregory F. Kelley and great grandson Dale W. Williams.