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| Myrtis Womack Johnson Nurturing Our Roots with Dr. Antoinette Harrell |
Myrtis was a devoted member of Venable Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Greensburg, LA. She served faithfully as the Sunday school Superintendent, Adult Sunday school teacher, Missionary President, Steward, Stewardness, Christian Education Director, and the Church Historian. She also taught the rich history of Richard Allen adn the structure of the AME Church during the new membership class at her church. Myrtis attended many seminars, workshops, and speaking engagements involving history and historical facts. One other most rewarding speaking engagements she attended was the Kweisi Mfume, the former President/CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as the keynote speaker.
Myrtis is known in St. Helena Parish for the dedicated work restoring abandoned cemeteries. Myrtis' passion for the preservation efforts of abandoned cemeteries came when she tried to visit the cemetery in St. Helena Parish where some of the her ancestors were buried, and she could not gain access to it due to fallen trees, weeds, and debris. She have been interviewed and featured in the St. Helena Parish Newspaper the "Echo", numerous times for her efforts and commitment to restoring abandoned cemeteries. She was a guest speaker for the St. Helena Historical Society, and she was featured in St. Helena's parish newspaper. She was interviewed by b Allen Turney for his "Tummy Travels" segment of WAFB Channel Nine News, and she was featured on the front page of the Baton Rouge Advocate after restoring and marking 82 abandoned slave graves. She was a guest on "Nurturing Our Roots" Television Talk Show hosted by Antoinette Harrell. She was honored by United Daughters of the Confederacy in 2005, during a ceremony in recognition of her work with here restoring abandoned cemeteries. Myrtis founded "Save Our Graves Foundation" in 2011. Her foundation located, restores, and collects data of abandoned cemeteries. Myrtis was the keynote speaker in Germany for Black History Month in 2016. The program was held on her son's military base.
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| Myrtis Womack Johnson African American Cemetery in St. Helena Parish, LA. |
Her travels have taken here to North Buxon, Ontario Canada where she visited the Buxton National Historic Site and museum. This Historic site and museum is on the original Elgin Settlement, which was the first stop on the Underground Railroad for hundreds of fugitive slaves. She had visited many plantations and historical museums including, Nottaway Plantation, Magnolia Mound Plantation, Rural life Museum and Southern University Museum of Art. Her most recent and memorable visit was to Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana.
She leaves to Cheris her memories, her children: Valery, Baton Rouge, LA, Kevin (Raquel), Houston, TX, Andre (Keisha) Kileen, TX, grandchildren: Markell, Debbie, Jamie, Nalani, Maya, Kevin Jr., Aaron, and Frank, nine siblings: two sisters: Shirley and Janice Womack, Baton Rouge, LA; Seven brothers: Walter (Lorene), Charlotte, NC, Charles (Linda) and John (Mary) Baton Rouge, Rev. Floyd (Sandra)), Port Allen, Louisiana, Morris, Larry, (Mildred), and Richard (Tracy) Womack, Greensburg, LA. one brother-in-law: Walter Kendrick, Jr., Kings Mountain, NC, a host of nieces, nephews, cousin, and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents Walter and Sallie Womack, siblings: Carolyn Beller, Lena Kendrick, Jimmy Ray, Ned, two sets of twins Willie Gene (Slick) and Barbara Moore, Alfa and Effie, sister-in-law; Joann, several uncles, aunts and numerous other relatives.
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| Myrtis Womack Johnson Source: The funeral program for Mrs. Myrtis Womack Johnson |
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