Mila Johnston

Mila Key Johnston died May 1, 2013 at the Hale County Hospital in Greensboro, AL. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm Sunday, May 5, 2013 at the First Baptist Church of Demopolis, AL. The Rev. Carl Williams of First Baptist Church, Demopolis and the Rev. Phillip White of Mount Olive Baptist Church, Gallion, AL will officiate. Interment will be at 3:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Cemetery in Gallion. The Rev. Brooks Barkley will conduct the graveside service. Visitation is from 1:15-1:45 at First Baptist Church, Demopolis and at St. Andrew’s Cemetery following interment. Kirk Funeral Home of Greensboro, AL will direct the services. Her parents, James W. and Imogene O’Mary Key, preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband of forty years, John F. Johnston, Jr. of Greensboro, AL, her sister, Rebecca Key Wetzel (Richard C., Jr.) of Lancaster, PA, and her brother, J. Frederick Key of Greensboro, AL. She is also survived by two nephews: Richard C. Wetzel, III (Suzanne Spangler) of Glen Allen, VA, and Matthew E. Wetzel of Washington, D.C.; one niece, Mila Rebekah Key of Greensboro, AL; two grand-nieces: Olivia Grace Wetzel and Emma Rose Wetzel of Glen Allen, VA; and two aunts: Daisy O. Collins of Auburn, AL and Joy O. Yeager of Birmingham, AL. Honorary pallbearers include Diana Arrington, Dr. Milla Dailey Boschung, Mr. and Mrs. John Broussard, Marsha Carmichael, Mary Ann Flowers, Sara Jo Gross, Ann Jackson, Xan Key, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McDaniel, Kathy Moody, Carolyn Moore, Debbie Nichols, Shirley Payne Fitts, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Poole, Sabrina Sears, Peggy Singleton, Rebecca W. Sullivan, and Mr. Michael and Dr. Kay Atchison Warfield. A native of Brilliant, AL, she was a long time resident of Greensboro, AL. A graduate of the University of Alabama, Atlanta University, and Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, she devoted her life to education, working in these schools: Clayton County, Georgia; Florence State University (currently UNA); Perry County, AL; and Demopolis City Schools, Demopolis, AL. Following those teaching stints, she worked with the Alabama State Department of Education (SDE) as reading coach, academic officer, and regional school improvement specialist coach until 2007. She then was an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Alabama. Since 1968, when she began her professional career, students and teachers taught her something new every day as she worked with them as library media specialist, school administrator, and educational specialist. Of the Christian faith, she worshipped at First Baptist Church, Demopolis where she taught Sunday School and was a leader for missions. Since 1982, she was a member of the Alabama Federation of Women’s Clubs (AFWC) Board of Directors, serving that volunteer organization in many capacities, but most often, as Leadership Chairman. In lieu of floral remembrances, her family suggests memorials to the Kathleen Mallory Mission Offering at Alabama WMU, 2001 East South Boulevard, Montgomery AL 36116; the Alabama Federation Women’s Clubs, 2728 Niazuma Avenue, Birmingham, AL, 36526; or The College of Human Environmental Sciences at the University of Alabama, http://www.ches.ua.edu.

All obituaries taken from the website of the corresponding funeral home unless otherwise noted.