Beulah Johnson

If you knew Beulah Elizabeth Johnson, you know she preferred to be called Bea. And you know she was a leader. Guiding and nurturing people came to her easily. Yet although she led with confidence, she also led with humility. Her leadership was often done with a heart for those most vulnerable. Perhaps the quality came naturally because she was the oldest of Beulah Elizabeth Washington and Hersey Harris Bright’s seven children. Although she was born in Harlem Hospital on March 31, 1942, she grew up and made a life of service in the Bronx. She graduated from Walton High School intent on studying nursing but abandoned that field after her marriage to Willinzy Johnson and the birth, in 1961, of her oldest daughter, Sabrina. Three years later, another daughter, Adrienne, arrived. She and Willinzy later divorced. The young mother started her career in education at an early childhood center while attending Bronx Community College, where she earned an associate degree in psychology. Then at City College of New York, she earned her bachelor of science degree in education in 1978. After joining the Board of Education, she landed a job at Community Elementary School 58 in the Bronx and discovered her talent lay in working with special children. At C.E.S. 58, she was a crisis intervention teacher and a teacher of the emotionally handicapped, using the knowledge she was gaining as she pursued and earned her master’s degree in learning disabilities at Lehman College in 1980. With her degree in hand, she officially became a special education teacher for the emotionally handicapped. She rose to the challenge of teaching such children and was honored as Special Education Teacher of the Year in District 9. Her hard work and impressive achievement led to a promotion to supervisor of special education. Then after earning an advanced professional degree in school administration and supervision at City College, Bea received tenure as a special education supervisor. While serving as supervisor, Bea was given the opportunity to act as interim acting principal for two years, one each at C.E.S 146 and P.S. 107. The experience was fortuitous; Bea was appointed principal of P.S. 107 in the Soundview section of the Bronx in 1992. She stayed there until she retired in 2004. Bea has been honored as a master teacher and recognized for her work by the Bronx Association of Black Educators, Bronx Progressive Service Inc., Superintendency of District 8, Sharon S.D.A. Church, Bronx Christian Community Afterschool Program, Phipps West Farms Beacon Program and P.A.P.E.C., an organization of parent leaders. In addition, she has received a New York State Assembly Citation for exemplary service to the community, and Adolfo Carrion Jr., the 12th borough president of the Bronx, presented her with a citation of merit. She is a life member of the NAACP, member and supporter of the Schomburg Society and former basileus of the Beta Epsilon chapter of the national sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. Bea loved to travel; with her daughters, she visited Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Gambia and Côte d’Ivoire. She was especially impressed with South Africa but regretted the version of Hawaii she saw. She filled her home with neutral tones and Black art. She kept her smartphone only for the music she had collected and the games she could play on it. Her favorite movie series was Planet of the Apes. She admired Maya Angelou (and eventually met her and took a picture with her), Stokely Carmichael (even when he became Kwame Ture) and Nelson Mandela. She blew off salt from each potato chip before she ate one and kept mini Snickers and orange sherbert in her fridge regularly. She was a great listener. Along with her parents, Bea was preceded in death by her siblings, Toby Boyer, Hersey Bright Jr., Carol Turner, Deborah Bright, Pamela Bright and her son-in-law, Marvin Chandler. Besides her beloved daughters, her grandson Gavin Martin and her son-in-law, Dietrich Martin, she is survived by her sister Barbara Jean Harris, her brother Michael Bright and brother-in-law Marcus Harris Sr, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, neighbors and students. Funeral Services will be held in New York. Visitation at McCalls Funeral Home [http://mccalls.net] Friday, October 4,2024 from 4 to 7pm. Viewing and Homegoing Service will be on Saturday October 5, 2024 beginning at 9:30am at First United Methodist Church, Mt. Vernon [http://www,fumcmvny.org] 227 Lincoln Ave. (corner of Lincoln and Summit Aves. Mt. Vernon, NY 10522 In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Autism Speaks at www.autismspeaks.org or www.stjude.org

Beulah Johnson

March 31, 1942 - September 12, 2024