The late Nora Johnson, former Personnel Director of the Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism (MICAT), was laid to rest on Friday in Brewerville outside Monrovia.

The St. Stephens Episcopal Church on 10th street in Monrovia, hosted Children, relatives and friends of the late Mother Johnson, who gathered in their numbers to pay their last respect and celebrate the home going of their mother, friend and relative.

Fr. A-Too Williams, Rector of the St. Stephen Episcopal Church, who preached the funeral Discourse, said Mother Johnson was a true servant of God who delegated her time to the church even before his time as a Priest. He said she stood as a disciplinarian even in the church and would see to it that everything went right.

“Ma Nora decorated the church alter every week while she was young and serving in the church. She sang in the choir and worked with the children in Sunday school. We will all miss her dearly”.

Mother Johnson, as she was called by everyone, was known as a disciplinarian even at her job site, said Former Minister of Information, Rev. J. Emmanuel Z. Bowier, who paid tribute at the wake keeping.

Rev. Bowier said, Mother Johnson was the Director of Personnel, when he was recruited from the University of Liberia as a cadet at the Ministry in 1976. He disclosed that mother Johnson would have daily prayers at the Ministry, which kept him in line spiritually as his own mother would do.

He recalled: “We used to have devotions in the Library, but it did not go down well with some people. Eleven years later, when I became the Minister of Information, Mother Johnson insisted, and I agreed that the conference room at the Ministry of Information be cleared for one hour (lunch hour) every working day, for praise and worship. That was done for the years I served as Minister of Information (1987-1990).’’

Mother Johnson worked along with several Ministers of Information including: Dr. Edward B. Kesselly, Mr. J. Jenkins Peal, Mr.  Johnny A. McClain, Mr. Gabriel Q. Nimely, Lt. Col. Gray D. Allison, Mr. Alhaji G.V. Kromah, Mr. Carlton Karpeh, and Dr. Momolu Gataweh.

Mr. Nathaniel S. Davies, brother of the deceased, paying tribute on behalf of the family said, his sister served the St. Stephens Episcopal Church and sang in the choir: “Sister Nora had a very sharp voice and she sang in the choir back in the USA, even when everybody else left the choir due to other engagements, Sister Nora sat alone on the choir pew and sang.”

Narrating how his sister knew what she wanted for her young son (Michael) when she had to travel abroad for further studies, he said: “I remember when ma dressed little Michael in a small white suit and a false stethoscope around his neck testing a baby doll lying on a small table before him. “

“When Sister Nora sent back a package to her mother and put in a small white suit, a false pair of stethoscope and doll to her son, she at the moment, wanted him to be a doctor. Now I can tell you that Michael is not only playing with a false stethoscope, but is a doctor who is using the real one on his patients.”

Jeanne J. Fahnbulleh, younger daughter of the deceased read the life sketch of her mother adding that her mother was indeed a mother and a disciplinarian to all: “My mother would open her door to all and demonstrate her motherly love even to non family members.” Dr. Michael Jones, son of the deceased, who is a medical Doctor in the United States, did the acknowledgement at the end of the funeral service.

Unfortunately, Mother Nora Johnson, who served for over thirty years, was almost ignored by the Ministry of Information, where she spent the prime years of her life in public service, during the wake keeping.

After the funeral a representative from the Ministry of Information walked up to the family to make a contribution on behalf of the ministry but could not lay a reef because only family and the church paid tribute at the funeral.