Loretta Hercher Johnson

Loretta Hercher Johnson was born on June 24, 1938, in Little Rock, Ark. She left this world to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 6, 2024. Loretta was the only child of Theodore and Gwendolyn Hercher. She learned at an early age to play the piano, following in the musical footsteps of her mother, an accomplished organist and pianist. Loretta also had a melodic voice. She could fill up any room, any performance venue, any sanctuary, with her angelic singing. Loretta graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1956, where she was a cheerleader. She then attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, and joined the Tri Delta sorority. It was there she met a studious young man named Jere Johnson, a Sigma Chi fraternity member studying civil engineering who was (and still is) an Arkansas Razorback fanatic. Over the next several years, they went on dates to the library to study, to Sigma Chi fraternity parties, and to Arkansas football games. After they both graduated from the University of Arkansas, and Jere had joined the Army, they decided to get married. Jere and Loretta were married at the First Christian Church of North Little Rock on June 25, 1960. While Jere was serving in the military, the newly-married couple resided in San Antonio, Texas, Fort Meade, Md., and Colorado Springs, Colo. Loretta taught music to elementary school children during this time. In Colorado Springs, Jere and Loretta had their first child, Matt Johnson. Shortly after Matt was born, they moved back to Fayetteville, Ark., where Jere obtained his masters' degree in civil engineering. Jere was then offered a position with Humble Oil (now Exxon) in Baytown, Texas, and so Jere and Loretta packed up and moved to Texas. It was there they built their life together. Their second and third children, Gwen Johnson Samora and Ted Johnson, were born in Baytown. Loretta was a devoted and caring mother, and she also had the ability to make her family laugh. And laugh they did—a lot. She was particularly good at secretly "taping" Jere while the family went on long road trip vacations to capture some of his more colorful language in responding to others' perceived driving deficiencies. When Ted entered elementary school, Loretta decided that she wanted to become an elementary teacher. She embarked on her teaching career at Highlands Elementary, where she taught reading, writing, and literature to fourth and fifth graders. She touched hundreds of students' lives while teaching at Highlands Elementary over the next twenty-plus years. After her retirement, Loretta turned her attention to her grandchildren, lavishing them with love and affection (and gifts). There were daily visits to Barnes and Noble, attending sporting events, and of course the wonderful trips to New Braunfels, Texas and Colorado. When she and Jere turned 80, they treated their entire extended family to a Mediterranean cruise. There were so many good memories and laughs on these extended family vacations. Equally important to Loretta was her church family at St. Mark's Methodist Church and her many wonderful friends from Lakewood. Loretta was a long-time member of the St. Mark's choir, where she sang solos and participated in numerous Christmas cantatas. Her singing voice was something to behold—and we did. She and Jere went on numerous overseas trips with their St. Mark's and Lakewood friends, including trips to Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and other exciting places. She so enjoyed being with friends, and will miss them dearly. Loretta is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband of 64 years Jere Johnson; her son Matt Johnson and wife Christina Johnson; her daughter Gwen Samora and husband Dan Samora; her son Ted Johnson and wife Christy Johnson; grandchildren Luke and Jake Samora, Hannah Luna and husband Javier Luna, David and Joshua Johnson, Claire and Patrick Johnson; and great grandson Grayson Luna. The family would like to express its sincere gratitude to the entire staff in the Memory Care Unit of The Lodge at Pine Creek for their love and care of Loretta over the past three years as she battled Parkinson's disease. A memorial service celebrating Loretta's life will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 10 a.m. at St. Mark's Methodist Church Baytown, 3811 N. Main Street, Baytown, Texas. The family asks that any donations in Loretta's memory be made to the Parkinson's Foundation, www.parkinson.org.