Obituary of Magnolia Johnson

Magnolia Scruggs Johnson, best known as “Maggie”, died at the age of 84 at Robert Wood Johnson
Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ on July 20 th , 2019.
Born November 17, 1934 in Perth Amboy, NJ to the late Deacon Robert and Magnolia Scruggs, Maggie
was the youngest of 4 (Walt, Dean and Robert). She received her education through the Metuchen
school system, up until her graduation in 1952.
Raised in the church, growing up, Maggie (17) became a member of the New Hope Baptist Church in
Metuchen, NJ. This was a special moment for her family because her father, Deacon Robert Scruggs, was
one of the four members who organized the church in 1923. As she continued her role in serving the
Lord, she then met her childhood sweetheart Donald Johnson. They wed in 1956 and had 5 children
(Joanne, Stephen, Kevin, Kathy and Brian).
She was a vivid typist and worked at The Raritan Arsenal and Camp Kilmer in Edison, NJ. In 1971, she
began working at Imperial Finance and did so for 27 years before retiring in 1998. Being the active
woman she was, she decided to get a part time job and worked at Rutgers University from 2002-2008.
Maggie was a God-fearing woman and had a special sense of duty to serve the Lord. She heavily
participated in the following church ministries: New Disciples’ Teachers, (which she was one of the
original 8 members), Gospel Chorus, Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School teacher and served as
the Missionary President for many years. Maggie had a heart of gold and was always thinking about the
sick and shut in. So in her spare time, she would create little gifts of joy and bring her 2 young
grandchildren, (Dianna and Dyshon), to different Senior Citizen and nursing homes to let people know
that God loved them and so did she.
Maggie had many talents, but was most talented in bowling. She bowled for most of her life and had
been in many leagues from New Hope Baptist Church league to a league at Stelton Lanes called the
“Busy Bees”. She loved to shop, read, write and spend time with her family and her friends.

Surviving Maggie are her four children; daughters Joanne Avant and Kathy Johnson of NJ, sons Brian
Johnson of NJ and Kevin Johnson of CA, five grandchildren; Dianna Johnson of NJ, Dyshon & Ernestine
Johnson of NJ, Briana Johnson of FL and Bryson Johnson of PA, 3 great grandchildren; Iyana, Ariana and
Jhasir Johnson of NJ, one brother; Dean Scruggs of Kentucky, sister-in-law; Vivian Scruggs of Maryland,
as well as a host of nieces, nephews, friends and family.