Johnnie Shelley Hoehn departed this world to be with her Heavenly Father, family, and friends who had gone before her, on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018 at the age of 84.
She passed away with her family by her side, after fighting a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Johnnie was born on Oct. 29, 1934 in Overton, Texas to her parents, Newton Dodd Shelley and Elois Hart Shelley. She grew up in New London, Texas and graduated from New London High School in 1951. After graduation she entered East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce, Texas, and transferred to North Texas State University where she received her Bachelor of Business Administration. She later went on to earn her Master of Science in Elementary Education in 1955.
She taught elementary school in Carroll, Texas, and later at the North Texas State Laboratory School in Denton, Texas.
On June 12, 1954, she married the love of her life, Bob Hoehn in Denton, Texas at Highland Baptist Church. She worked as a secretary in the North Texas State Biology Department before moving with her husband to Longview, Texas, where she worked at Texas Eastman as a secretary. She accompanied Bob to Edgewood, Maryland as he served in the United States Army in 1956, where they later welcomed their first child in June, 1958.
Upon being discharged from the Army, Bob and Johnnie returned to Denton, Texas, where they lived until 1966. They were active members of Highland Baptist Church where Johnnie served as church accompanist and as a secretary at North Texas State University. She later taught fifth grade at North Texas Laboratory School.
The family moved to Columbia, Missouri in 1966 where they lived until 1969, and Johnnie served as the Financial Secretary at Calvary Baptist Church. At the end of that year they moved to Cinnaminson, New Jersey for a year, where Johnnie and Bob served as church planters for Delaware Valley Baptist Church and held church services in their home.
In 1971, Johnnie and Bob moved to Blacksburg, Virginia, where Johnnie worked as a secretary in the Virginia Tech Football Office, and later in the Hokie Club. Her second child was born in 1973 in Radford, Virginia.
Johnnie retired from the Hokie Club near the end of 2003. She and Bob continued to live happily in Blacksburg for the remainder of her years. Since 2015, Johnnie and Bob have lived at The Crossings at Blacksburg where Johnnie received loving care from Bob and the staff during her battle with Alzheimer’s.
Johnnie was predeceased by her parents, sisters Donnie Ashley and Faye Morgan, and sister-in-law Jessie Shelley.
Survivors include Bob, her husband of 64 years; two children, Julie Carter of Christiansburg; Michelle Hoehn of Roanoke; her grandson, Drew, and her great-granddaughter, Hailey, in Colorado; a brother, Ed Shelley of Kilgore, Texas; brother-in-law, Mike Morgan, and numerous nieces and nephews in Texas.
The family would like to thank the overwhelming kindness of friends, the compassionate and loving staff at The Crossings and the wonderful nurses at Lewis Gale Hospital Montgomery who have taken great care of Johnnie during these difficult days.
Monetary donations may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association or to Gracelife Baptist Church in memory of Johnnie.
