Marjorie Decker Johnson, 92, passed away peacefully at Chatham Hills Nursing home on January 3. Born in Port Richmond and lived in Clifton after her marriage to Edward E. in 1952. She attended Wagner College and graduated from NYU with a degree in Chemistry. She worked at Laboratories in Manhattan as a Chemist. She was active in the Staten Island community ranging from Developmentally Disabled to Historic Preservation. She also volunteered at Richmond Town Library as a Historian and Genealogist.
She was a founding member and actively involved in the Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries and she wrote several books on Genealogy History. She was also a member of the Staten Island Archeology and Geological societies and as an artist created cartoons for over 10 years. She became Staten Island Woman of Achievement in 1990 and it was one of the highlights of her life.
She was also an active member of St. John’s Episcopal Church and in her younger years she enjoyed Tennis and Hiking.
She was the wife of the late Edward E. Johnson (1971) and mother to the late Ned Johnson (1973).
She is survived by her daughter, Kimberly Donohue (Robert) of Berkeley Heights, NJ and Thomas Johnson (Liz) of Old Greenwich, Conn. Also survived by 6 loving grandchildren.
Visitation at Cherubini McInerney Funeral Home on Sunday from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Funeral leaving at 10:00am with a funeral mass at St. John’s Episcopal Church at 11:00am. Burial at Moravian Cemetery.
In Lieu of Flowers contributions to Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries would be appreciated.
Service
Viewing
Cherubini McInerney Funeral Home
1289 Forest Avenue, Staten Island, New York 10302
January 7, 2018
1:00pm - 5:00pm
Mass
St. John's Episcopal Church
1333 Bay St, Staten Island, NY 10305
January 8, 201811:00am - 12:00pm
Burial
Moravian Cemetery
2205 Richmond Rd, Staten Island, NY 10306
January 8, 201812:30pm - 12:45pm
Richard Simpson says
Mrs. Johnson, thank you for everything you taught me about Staten Island history. Our almost daily telephone conversations lasted for more than 17 years. No matter what topics we talked about our conversation always came back to Moravian Cemetery – our favorite place. Now, you can take your place with Alice Austen, Leng & Davis, Col. Shaw, the Vanderbilt family (another favorite topic of ours) and so many others who made history.
Richard Simpson – Moravian Cemetery.
Holly Tooker says
Marj was a joy to know. She was so generous with her time and her trove of knowledge about her beloved Staten Island and our mutual interest in the Decker family. I am proud to be a distant cousin and grateful to have had her as a friend. My condolences to her family and all her many, many friends. RIP, great lady.
Barbara Rowe Hall says
My sincere condolences to Cousin Marj’s family. My mother, Dorothy Tuttle Rowe, used to correspond with her, particularly about their shared Decker ancestry. I’m sorry that I never got a chance to meet her, especially since I now share her interest in the Decker family.
Sincerely,
Barbara Lynn Rowe Hall
Susan Taylor says
I’m so sorry for your loss. Individuals are just that and irreplaceable. So the loss is unpatchable. I came across this notification of Marjorie’s death because I was trying to remember the first name of my oldest brother David’s good friend. I’m writing about the time my brother David Gibbons and his three friends from Port Richmond, Bill Gertz, Eddie Dahlberg and ________ Decker road their bikes all the way from Port Richmond to Bushkill Falls Pennsylvania, to fish and camp. The bridge they had to cross to get off the Island was new then and calling to them, I guess. I’m sure Marjorie would enjoy the story and I’m so sorry I didn’t get to tell her. You see I think my brother Dave’s Decker friend was maybe her brother or cousin and maybe one of my other older siblings went to school with your mother. Their names were David, Marjorie, Bob (George), and Peter Gibbons. They lived on Heberton Avenue near Post. Marjorie was born in 1926, David in 1928, Bob in 1931 and Peter in 1935. Our last name is Gibbons. If you feel like responding, thank you. If not please accept my condolences and forgive my intrusion. We also have family buried in Moravian Cemetery, between the church and the brook.