Welford Armstead Johnson Sr.

Welford Johnson, 74, was born in Charles City, Virginia on January 13, 1950 and transitioned in his home on July 20th. If we each have a purpose in life to fulfill, then being a present force in the lives of his children was his purpose and he successfully accomplished his mission. Welford was known to have mentioned to people that he did not know his own father and wanted to make sure that would never happen to his own children. He served for several years in the military during the Vietnam war and earned a bronze star, but decided to AWOL because raising his children was more important to him. He worked at American Tobacco Company for over 10 years, before the company closed, and went on to work at Loving Produce as a truck driver for several years afterward, before being diagnosed with dystonia. 

Welford met the love of his life, Joyce Parker-Johnson, when he was 12 years old and she was 10. They would play together as kids and fell in love after a few years and had their first child, Angela, in 1969. Their second child, Cassandra, was born a year later and he finally got a son, Welford, his namesake, in 1981. He loved having a son - one of the first shoes he ever bought his son was a pair of country boots! Welford was an avid reader and his readings varied from western novels, crime mystery or espionage novels, to writings by Edgar Allen Poe and Sigmund Freud. He was also a sports enthusiast and enjoyed watching tennis, basketball, and football games. He also enjoyed playing tennis with his wife and friends, table tennis with his wife and children, and chess and backgammon with anyone eager to play. Welford shared his love of chess and backgammon with his children and would have backgammon competitions with his daughter, Angela. He later went on to teach his oldest grandson, William, how to play chess and they enjoyed many great games together.

Welford was an exceptional swimmer and was known to swim out close to the buoys at the beach, then lie on his back and fall asleep for about an hour, before joining the rest of the family in the sand. He loved being at the water and fishing and tried to pass this along to his children. He was quick to smile and laugh. He often didn’t say much, unless he was discussing politics or something he was passionate about, but everyone around him knew he had a caring heart. When his daughter, Angela, became a vegetarian, he still came to family gatherings and ate the food, because he wanted to show his support. His son’s middle and high school friends knew of Welford, because of the close bond he shared with his son, and would often ask for his advice. In the midst of professional accomplishments that people often strive for, being a good father was what he focused on, and he will be forever cherished and honored for his commitment to his role as father. 

Welford leaves to cherish his memory his daughter, Angela McClaine (Scott); his son, Welford Johnson; his grandchildren, William McClaine, Rivanna McClaine, and Andrea Brake; his brother, James Johnson (Ann); and his sisters, Willie Mae Diggs (Edward) and Beverly J.; and a host of in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joyce Parker-Johnson, his daughter, Cassandra Johnson-Brake, his mother, Estelle Johnson, his eldest brother, William Johnson, and his older sister, Mildren E. Gibbs.