Forever in our hearts…

Janie was born and raised in Jersey City, NJ, where she spent most of her life before her final years living in Mount Joy, PA. She made an impact in the lives of everyone she met with her quick-witted sense of humor, warmth, kindness, and signature sarcasm. For years, her house was the place for family holiday gatherings and backyard BBQs. She was a fantastic host and an even better cook. To know her was to love her.

As a child caregiver for over 10 years, she was known to her “children” and their parents affectionately as “Nana”. She also served several years as an Eastern star. Janie was a biological mother of two and a surrogate mother to many. 

Battling heart problems throughout much of her life (including multiple open heart surgeries) and suffering from Alzheimer’s throughout her final five years, Janie was the very definition of resilience, and she never let it get her down or hold her back. That’s the kind of woman she was.

On Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024, Janie Mae Johnson was called home at 80, three weeks shy of her 81st birthday, in Lancaster, PA. She is survived by her daughter, Donna son, Marc , and daughter-in-law, Ivy. She is also survived by three Johnson siblings, Alberta, Robert, and Loraine, and many nieces and nephews.

Her mother, Catherine Johnson, and her brothers, Willie and Jessie Johnson, preceded her in death.