Verna Johnson

A celebration of the life of Jo M. Johnson of Hobbs will be held at 10:00am Tuesday, July 26, 2011, at First Baptist Church, Hobbs, NM.

Officiating will be Billy Chidester, pastor of First Baptist and Ryon Price, pastor of Second Baptist Church of Lubbock, Texas. Music will be provided by pianist, Larry Landusky, son of the deceased and vocal selections performed by numerous musically talented family members.

Visitation will also be Monday from 1:00pm until 6:00pm at Chapel of Hope Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.

Jo Johnson, age 82, died Thursday, July 21, 2011 at Covenant Hospital in Lubbock, Texas. She was born July 29, 1928 in Ranger, Texas. Her husband, Wayne F. Johnson, preceded her in death on January 13, 2001.

Jo Johnson was born during the Ranger, Texas, oil boom and was involved in the oil industry as a selfemployed petroleum accountant most of her life. Her family moved to Wink, Texas when she was eleven years old. She is one of two Wink High School graduates with a diploma dated in August. She earned a BBA degree from North Texas State University with a major in Accounting in 3 years at the age of eighteen.
After working for five years as secretary to Eunice School Superintendent C. H. Conway she was employed by Famariss Oil and Refining Company in Hobbs where she learned the process of oil refining. Her knowledge about drilling and production was obtained while she worked for Velma Petroleum Corporation under the mentoring of Leroy Wise. It was during this time that she joined the recently chartered Hobbs Desk Derrick Club. She was a 50 years member having served the Hobbs Club as President many times as well as other offices and duties. She was the Region V Director for the Association of Desk Derrick Clubs in 1958 and served ADDC in many other capacities throughout the years. In 1990 she was named the United States Oil Woman of the Year.
Leroy Wise had various joint owners in producing properties he operated as Martindale Petroleum Corporation. One of those joint owners was Robert L. Bob Summers, owner and publisher of the Hobbs Daily News Sun. When Leroy died, Bob assumed the presidency of Martindale, Burton Veteto served as Vice President and Jo was SecretaryTreasurer. She also served as SecretaryTreasurer for her husbands business Wayne F. Johnson, Inc., a Gulf Jobbership and it was here she added marketing to her knowledge and experience in the oil industry.
Wayne was an active member of the Rotary Club, he and Jo hosted a number of Rotary youth exchange students. They enjoyed attending many District Conferences and Rotary International Conventions. Through the years they enjoyed conventions in Switzerland, Canada, Italy, England, Germany, Korea and many in the USA. In August 2001 Jo accepted the position of Executive Secretary for the Hobbs Club and had just resigned her position in June.
As a Life Member of International Training in Communication, she was the charter Treasurer of the local Zia Club. Jo served ITC as Club, Council and Regional President and as an International Vice President. She was the eighth member in the world to attain the Distinguished Member rating in the ITC Certification Program. For many years she was an active member of the National Association of Parlimentarians.
Jo and Wayne are the parents of three sons and one daughter: James Jim Johnson of Tennessee, Robert Bob Johnson and Larry Landusky, both of Lubbock, TX and Judy Johnson of Hobbs. She is also survived by 2 sisters, Donnie Wright of Kermit, TX and Edna Weger of Tulsa, OK, numerous grandchildren and greatgrandchildren, numerous loving nieces and nephews, a Youth Exchange daughter, Kathrin Beck and her family of Lyss, Switzerland, and a host of friends.

Visitation

Chapel of Hope
3321 N. Dal Paso
Hobbs, NM  88240
Monday, July 25, 2011
1 p.m. 6 p.m. Monday

Service

Memorial Service

First Baptist Church
317 E. Cain
Hobbs, NM  88240
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
10 a.m. Tuesday

Cemetery

Prairie Haven Memorial Park
2201 E. Stanolind
Hobbs, NM  88240