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Pollie Mae Johnson, fondly known as “Grand Ma Pollie” was born to the late Isaac and Alice Hemphill on December 22, 1921, in Patton Junction, Alabama, a coal camp serving the mines of Deer Creek. She was the eldest of 13 children and gave her life to Christ at an early age. Grand Ma Pollie, nearly a Centurion, at 98 years old lived through nine decades of some of the most prolific times in history.
Grand Ma Pollie was the remnant of the G.I. Generation which was considered to be the greatest generation in the earth. Until her passing, she was one of a few that has seen more changes and events than any other generation before or after them. Not only did Grand Ma Pollie live through two World Wars and the Great Depression, she also was able to see the world change and advance in technology, medicine and a huge cultural change. Because she lived through the good times and bad times, she had a very practical, transparent down to earth look at life. She spoke her mind and didn’t bite her tongue. She had experienced hardship and knew what it was to survive. Grand Ma Pollie was an industrious woman who knew how to sew, knit and cook. As a younger woman she loved going to church and enjoyed good old-fashioned gospel music with singing and hand clapping. She especially loved the classics like, “I want Jesus to walk with me”, a song that she sang to her daughter Rosiland when she was a child.
Grand Ma Pollie married twice in her life. She knew what it was to love and to suffer loss but she always held onto Gods unchanging hand. Grand Ma Pollie was blessed with a beautiful growing family that needed her and she poured her love on them. In 1970, Grand Ma Pollie moved to 1298 East 23rd Avenue in the beautiful pink house. Pink was her favorite color and the multi storied home became the epic center for life for her entire family. For the next three decades Grand Ma Polly was the best sister, neighbor, church leader, aunt, grandmother, great-grand mother, great-great grandmother and friend. Her house was a safe haven for her family. Always the place to call home. She believed in food on the table and clothes on your back and having a roof over your head. She was known throughout South Linden as “Grand Ma Pollie or the lady in the pink house.” She was also known to carry a gun and was fearless in the face of anyone who tried to mess with her family or those she cared about. She would say that I’m still saved and God knows my heart. She was the epitome of love. Her wisdom was beyond her years and her love for Christ apparent in everything that she did. She would tell everyone to put things in the hand of the good Lord and He would see them through. For the last four years Grand Ma Pollie fought a good fight and now has finished her course. We will miss her infectious laugh, old wife’s tales, parables and stories, good home cooked food, hugs and brilliant smile but most of all her love.
On March 25th in the year of our Lord twenty-twenty, Pollie Mae Johnson went from labor to reward as God opened the gates of heaven to receive his daughter back home. She was preceded in death by her parents Isaac and Alice Hemphill; Charles Greene, Tommy Davis, Reginald Wayne Ivery Jr, Henry Louis Green V and 9 siblings. She is survived by her loving siste, Sarah Truitt (91) Ohio; her loving children, Rosalind B. Ivery (Reginald), Nathaniel Hood, Frank Clement (Tanya), Geraldine Johnson, Joe Johnson Jr., Frederick Borden (Cynthia) Cincinnati, Ohio, and Patricia Borden; grandchildren, Charles Ivery, Marlo Ivery (Tina), Renisha (Steffon) Peck Sr. Adrienne Hood, Syreeta Hood, Djaunika Hood, Lorin Brown, Casey Hood, Adam Hood, Austin Johnson, Nathan Johnson, Thomasina Jordan, Imani Johnson, Joe Johnson; 27 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren. Extended family Torrence Hines, special daughter, Carmen (David) Allen and family, Minister Dianne McCullough, the Gwinn family and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, community children/family and friends.
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