Obituary of Airman 1st Class Ronald Jean Johnson

RONALD JEAN PENDLETON JOHNSON (Ronnie Jean) , daughter of Homer and Georgia Ann Pendleton, was born in Ford City on August 27, 1932. She was educated in the public schools of Ford City and graduated from Ford City High School in 1950. She continued her education at Pierce Business College in Philadelphia, after enlisting and serving three years in the U.S. Air Force before receiving her honorable discharge. She was assigned to Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C. where she served as Admitting Officer and later Medical Secretary at the base hospital. During her service to country, she sang in the Air Force chorus and the Southwest Washington Chorus with the Air Force Symphony Orchestra. She served with the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) where she developed programs and trained staff and personnel in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. She was also responsible for the foster grandparent program, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and others. In this capacity, she was promoted to Deputy Director of the Northeast Regional Office where she was responsible for 35 employees and various programs. In 1981, she became the regional Director for the Peace Corps with jurisdiction over twenty-six states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. She traveled to sixty-two foreign countries and throughout the United States where Peace Corps volunteers were stationed. She retired in 1989. Mrs. Johnson continues to be very involved in church work. She is the musical director at the Phillips Metropolitan CME Church in Newark, New Jersey and responsible for the direction of five choirs. She also served in the tutoring program at the Union County Community College in Cranford. Prior to leaving Ford City, Mrs. Johnson was a member of the Ford City and Kittanning Choral Society and sang regularly on WACB radio with the group. Mrs. Johnson’s mother, Mrs. Georgia Ann Pendleton, has since passed and greeted her daughter in heaven.