Frances Lunsford Johnson

Frances Lunsford Johnson died peacefully on September 5, 2021 at the young age of 100. Frances was born on October 11, 1920 in Petersburg, Virginia, the daughter of Charles Lunsford, Jr. and Frances Virginia Thompson Lunsford. She is survived by her children Bettie “Bet” Johnson Poarch Dawson and her husband Charlie Henry Dawson, Jr., Walter Kevan “Chris” Johnson, Jr. and his wife Jenny Lee “Peachie” Johnson, and Charles “Lunsford” Johnson and his wife Marian Rose Johnson. She is also survived by six grandchildren - Clyde Anderson “Andy” Poarch II (Anne), Virginia Lee “Jenny” Johnson, Martin Kevan Johnson (Elizabeth), Thomas Lunsford Johnson (Jennifer), William Ransom “Ran” Johnson (Becky), Alexander Pinckney Stowe “Alex” Johnson – and by four great-grandchildren - Henry Claiborne Gibson Poarch, Edward “Bolling” Sander Poarch, Evelyn Elizabeth Johnson and Davis Kevan “Van” Johnson. Frances was predeceased by her parents, her husband Walter Kevan “Scotchie” Johnson, and her sister Martha Lunsford Smith. She is also survived by many loved nieces, nephews and their families.

Frances grew up in Petersburg and graduated from Hollins College (now University) in 1941 with a B.S. in Art History. In 1943, she and Scotchie were married and started their family. Affectionately known by her family as “Gwacie” and “MaMaw”, and “Fran” by her college classmates, she enjoyed life to the fullest. She spent many fun times on and off the tennis courts playing doubles with her dear friends Anne Lewis, Margee Whittle, Kitty Smith, Mary Hamilton and Helen Budd. She loved dark chocolate, a good glass of wine and never turned down a gin martini which was followed by feisty debates. She also enjoyed travelling to Italy and France. Those many visits to Paris, and watching Julia Child’s “The French Chef” piqued her culinary interests and led her to teach French cooking classes with Lois Seward, and start a successful catering business, “Delectable Foods”, after Scotchie passed away in 1984. She also oversaw the creation and publication of four cookbooks benefitting Petersburg Home for Ladies, where she resided for eighteen years with many of her friends.

She was intellectually curious, a voracious reader and loved studying art, Virginia history and family genealogy. Her family was of utmost importance to her, and following closely behind were St. Paul’s Church and the City of Petersburg, where her family have lived for eight generations. It was her interest in art and history that were behind her participation in the restoration of Old Petersburg and Blandford Cemetery.

The family would like to thank all the staff at Petersburg Home for Ladies for their unwavering support and care of Frances for so many years. A celebration of life will be held at 3 PM on Tuesday, September 21st at Blandford Church, 111 Rochelle Lane, Petersburg, Virginia. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Petersburg Home for Ladies (Fellowship Fund), St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (Petersburg, Virginia), Blandford Cemetery Foundation or the charity of your choice.

Our father would often say, “Listen to your mother, she is smarter than all of us, but do not tell her I said that”! Well, Dad, you were right, and we never did. Love, Bet, Chris and Lunsford.