Glenda Owens Johnston

Memorial services celebrating the life of Mrs. Glenda Owens Johnston, 81, of West Monroe, LA will be held at 2:00 P.M. Friday, May 7, 2021 at the First Baptist Church in Monroe, LA with Rev. James Doughty and Rev. Ray Owens, Jr. officiating, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home in West Monroe, LA.

Visitation will be from 12:30 P.M. until service time at the church.

Glenda Alice Owens Johnston was born on September 13, 1939 in West Monroe, La, and passed from this life on May 3, 2021 at Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe, LA, surrounded by her family. She graduated from West Monroe High School in 1957 and from Northeast Louisiana State College (now ULM) in 1960 with a degree in Elementary Education. While in college, she met David Johnston and they married on April 15, 1960, over 61 years ago.

After college, Glenda taught school in West Monroe and then in South Carolina when David was in the military. When they returned to Louisiana, she taught school until her first child, Jana, was born. She was a stay-at-home mom with Jana and her second child, Brad. Glenda loved being a mother and was very active in raising her children. She was the PTA Room Mother nearly every year, lead Brownie, Girl Scout and Cub Scout troops and volunteered in many activities that involved her children.

Glenda was a wonderful cook and loved entertaining. She hosted numerous parties from formal dinners to casual cookouts. She also enjoyed dancing with the tap-dancing group, The Golden Girls who performed locally. She was well known for her fashionable clothing style and loved putting outfits together. In addition, she loved to decorate. Her houses were always beautifully decorated. She would move furniture, rugs, and pictures to get a room ”perfect”.

When her children were in college, she returned to the work force and managed a family-owned retail store, Sports and More in Ruston, LA for two years. She then returned to teaching.

Her sixth-grade class at Claiborne Elementary was well known for the Reading and English excellence of her students. Her annual Medieval Feast, complete with elaborate costumes and sword fighting demonstrations, was the highlight of the sixth-grade school year. She and David also taught the sixth graders to do the Jitter Bug and she put on a 1950’s Show. Both annual events were well received by the school and community often being featured in the newspaper. She won several awards including Teacher-of-the Year and second place in Governor Foster’s statewide “Character Counts” contest. After retirement, she continued to substitute teach for several years.

As much as Glenda loved being a mother, she loved being a grandmother even more. Known as GeGe to her grandchildren, she had wonderful relationships with them. She spent hours reading to them, attending their ball games, dance recitals and school events. She also took her grandchildren on numerous vacations. She was an amazing grandmother.

Glenda was a long-time member of the First Baptist Church of Monroe, La where she was very active. She was also a member of the Junior League of Monroe, the Highland Park Garden Club, and the Black Hat Society.

Glenda was very classy, a true Southern Lady. She touched countless lives during her 81 years here on earth. She will be sorely missed.

Survivors: her husband of 61 years, David L. Johnston; daughter, Jana Johnston Cox and husband, James, Jr.; son, Brad Johnston and wife, Sharon; stepson, Ken Davis and wife, Mary; grandchildren, Addison Goff, V, Kendall Goff, J. W. Cox, III, John Cox, Hannah Johnston Posey, Sarah Johnston, Faith Johnston, and Emily Johnston; two great grandchildren, Grayson Ember Posey and Neeko Everest Posey; brothers, Carl Owens and Wamul Owens; sister, Faye Haddox; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or First Baptist Church in Monroe.

Mulhearn Funeral Home
West Monroe, LA