Mary Anne Darby Johnson, 72, passed away peacefully on August 8, 2024, at Brookedale of Jackson.
Mary Anne was born at home in Arkabutla, MS on Christmas Day 1951 to the late Lawrence Edward Darby and Helon Louise Cook Darby. She grew up in Memphis, TN and graduated from Hillcrest High School and Memphis State. She also received a M.A. in Educational Technology from the University of Northern Colorado.
Mary Anne lived in Loveland, CO for with her husband and son. They enjoyed camping, boating, skiing, music, traveling, and spending time with friends. She was the Librarian at Tozer Elementary School and went on to be the Media Specialist at Windsor Middle School. After retirement in 2004, she and her husband moved to Destin, FL. She was a devoted mother and wife, who loved her family, the beach, long walks, and enjoying live music with friends. To know her was to love her. She had an infectious laugh and was always ready to go on a little adventure.
Mary Anne was preceded in death by her parents as well as her son, Darby Bruce Johnson; her former husband, David Tully Johnson; and her nephew, Chad Lawing. She is mourned by sisters Judy Bates (Rodger) and Laura Thomas of Jackson, TN and her brother Ed Darby (Tricia) of Memphis, TN. She will be greatly missed by her nieces Leigh Dodds (Cole) and Emily Fortner (Joseph) of Jackson, TN and Wendy Trenthem (Richie) of Memphis, TN and Jessica Edwards (Mike) of Roanoke, VA, as well as Daniel and Julia Head and many other nieces and nephews throughout the country.
SERVICES: A memorial service to celebrate Mary Anne’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 11, 2024, in the chapel of Arrington Funeral Directors.
There will be a time of visiting with family and friends beginning at 1:00 p.m. and continuing until the service time.
In lieu of flowers the family is requesting that memorial contributions be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tn 38105 or online at www.stjude.org.
The family of Mary Anne would also like to thank her caregivers Vernessia White and Tammy Ross for their service the past 3 years, as well as the staff of Gentiva Hospice.
Arrington Funeral Directors, 148 W. University Parkway, Jackson, TN 38305 731.668.1111
