Uncle Harold, thank you for all of the good times. Too many special moments to mention just one. You will be missed.
Harold Milton Johnson
February 9, 1940 ~ November 28, 2023
Born in:
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Resided in:
Lilburn, Georgia
Harold Milton Johnson went to be home with our Lord on November 28, 2023, after living a joyful life that centered on his family and his community.
Born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, on February 9, 1940, Harold was the youngest boy born to the late Fred and Ira Mae Johnson. His childhood was spent on Return Street with siblings, cousins and friends. He attended Jones School and then Aliquippa High School, graduating in 1957. Always hard-working and reliable, Harold had several jobs as a teenager, including making deliveries for Hoffman’s Drug Store. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1963 where he served honorably until 1969 as a marksman with the rank of Private First Class.
Harold realized that he wanted to build a future and share his adventures with the love of his life, the former Aurelia Vreen of Griffith Street. They wed in October of 1963, and moved to California to join Harold’s brothers, who were building lives in the Bay Area. Richmond became their adopted hometown, where they raised their children, Antar and Ina, together until Aurelia passed in 1983. Harold then shifted his focus to raising his children as a single father and continued to be the best possible example of reliability, hard work, thoughtfulness and demonstrative love for his household and his community.
Harold’s work ethic was clear throughout his life, and nowhere was this more evident than in his noteworthy career with the Chevron Richmond Refinery. He began working at Chevron as a truck driver, but his hard work and leadership skills allowed him to move into important roles including operating complex crane machinery and managing complicated projects. After 29 years, he retired in 1997, after mentoring many people to help them build solid careers within the company. His passion for helping others was exemplified by his work with the International Union of Petroleum & Industrial Workers- AFL-CIO, where he served many roles including President of Local 22 in Richmond. He was recognized by the Union for providing “many years of outstanding service as a local officer, negotiator and international executive board officer” in 1991. In his well-earned retirement, he enjoyed sleeping in, traveling and working on projects around the house.
Despite all that Harold achieved professionally, his greatest impact was on his family. As a husband and father, he showed strength when necessary and provided love liberally, giving his family a wonderful life full of opportunity and stability. He was infinitely proud of his children and grandchildren and loved to spend time with them. He shared his love of travel, music, great food, and his Afrocentric outlook- including his African artwork and his homemade, iconic Black Santa house decoration- with his friends, neighbors and extended family. The doors of his home were always open to family and friends, many of whom were included in photos on the walls of his den where he created a display of pictures, certificates and artwork that was important and meaningful to him. Harold was generous and concerned about his family and friends- always the person to call and check on those in need, send a birthday or graduation card, and attend the recital or the event.
In addition to his parents and wife, Harold was preceded in death by his brothers Timothy Johnson, Albert Johnson, David Johnson, Clifford Johnson, Edward Jones, Howard Jones Sr, and Robert Tipper; his sisters Pauline Jones, Barbara Jean Colbert and Vivian Kirkland; and his life-long friends, Carnell Byrd and Robert Jenkins, Jr.
Left to cherish his memory are his son Antar (Tonia) Johnson and his daughter Ina (Joe) Cook, his grandchildren Zachary Cook, Brittany Cook and Karis Johnson, his brother LeRoy Johnson and sisters Gerline (Donald) Young and Grace Tipper King, as well as his entire extended family to include in–laws, cousins, nieces and nephews, his lifelong friend Jesse Champ and countless others whose lives he touched.
The Homegoing Celebration
Friday, December 8th at 12pm noon
Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
410 Wykes Street
Aliquippa, PA 15001
Live stream via Facebook, Antar Johnson’s page
Viewing in California
Thursday, December 14th time TBD
Wilson & Kratzer
455 24th Street
Richmond, CA 94804
Internment
Rolling Hills Memorial Park 4100 Hilltop Drive Richmond, CA 94803
Friday, December 15th time TBD.
4100 Hilltop Drive, Richmond, CA 94803
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Memories Timeline
Guestbook
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You were my granny Maxine’s best friend. You kept her memory alive for so long. I cannot begin to thank you for that. You meant so much to her/our whole family. I appreciate all of the visits to the family dinners and events, how often you checked in on her, how sweet you were to my children, and how and encouraging you were to my husband. He made sure to tell your Aliquippa buddy down the street to say some prayers for you. You filled me in on so many things I missed when I was younger. My daughter mentioned how much she got to hear about/remember her great-granny from visiting you. She says she will remember you, too. One day, I will tell her you gave her her first T-Bill when she was born. Thank you for all of the stories from “an old man” as you called it, especially about Juneteenth and Black history. You were funny without trying, you always had tasty leftovers to share when we stopped by, and I still giggle that you called my sweet potato soufflé a pie. We hope you and all your loved ones are having a great party up there and that you are still sleeping late.
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