Viola Carswell (Keen) Johnson

Mrs. Viola Keen Carswell Johnson, 96, of Tifton died Friday, April 1, 2016 at Golden Living Center.  Funeral services will be held  1:00 P.M. Monday, April 4,2016, at Albritton Funeral Directors with Dr. Johnny Hunt and Rev. Gary Cadwell officiating . The family will receive friends before the service from 11:00 A.M. – 12:30. P.M.  Burial will follow at Oakridge Cemetery.Mrs. Johnson’s grandsons will serve as pallbearers.  Honorary pallbearers will be Tift Regional Medical Center Auxiliary, and First United Methodist Church Tifton Loyalty Sunday School Class.

Mrs. Johnson was born on May 3, 1919 in Ware County, Georgia to James Preston and Huldah Hanchey Keen, both of whom preceded her in death.    She was also preceded in death by her first husband John E. Carswell and her second husband James Howard Johnson along with her brothers, David Keen, Rev. James E. Keen, Wilbur Keen and Larry Keen, and sisters; Eula Deberry and Ruby Parr, daughter-in-law, Leslie S. Carswell and great grandson Wyatt Tennyson Dillard Most people remember her as beautician and owner of Viola’s Beauty Shop for thirty four years.  Mrs. Johnson was a very active member of the community. She was a member of The Tifton Golden Age Club, Abraham Baldwin President’s Club and Tift County Library Foundationo. As a member of First United Methodist Church of Tifton, she attended the Loyalty Sunday School Class, the Kitchen Band and had participated in the Emmaus Walk. After her retirement from her Beauty Shop, she became active in the Tift Regional Medical Center’s Auxiliary for over thirty years where she was a lifetime member and past president in 1994 and 2002.  In 2004, she received The George A. Wright Outstanding Senior Citizen of the Year Award.  She had established the Viola Carswell Johnson Nursing Scholarship at ABAC.

Survivors include her two sons and daughter-in-law; Eddie and Terri Carswell of Woodstock, Herchell  R. Carswell of Jacksonville, Florida, and two daughters and sons- in law; Peggy and Jim Bass of Tifton, Rosemary and Raymond Hightower of Enigma, her grandchildren; Kim Stewart, Juli and Tom Riddle, Jake and Deanna Carswell, Stephen and Olivia Carswell, Jennifer and Luke Haglof, Stephanie Carswell, Laura and Will Roberts, William and Debbi Dillard, Alicia and Jason Coarsey, Paul Carswell, Daniel Carswell, Amy and Chad Barker, Vansessa and Daniel Niedzwecki,  Ray Hightower, and Carol Beasley, Great Grand Children; Tyler and Jenna Claire Riddle, Chase Riddle, Hampton Riddle, Kate Marie Riddle, Cole Dillard, Trenton Dillard and Morgan Dillard, Larry and Jade Clements, Matthew Roberts, Claire Roberts, Madison Roberts. Carson Roberts, Josh and Heather Roberts, Brandon Roberts, Katie Carswell, Carson Carswell, Callie Coarsey, Kayla Coarsey, Slaton Coarsey, Andrew Barker, Ryan Barker, Mimi Viola Sims, Cozie Sims, Ella Haglof, Ava Haglof, Livi Haglof, Great Great Grandchildren;  Collins and Nellie Riddle, Bentley, Maddox, and Britton  Clements and Lilli Roberts, two sisters and brother-in-law; Betty and Ed Dupree of Nashville, and Doris Rouse of Ray City, one brother and sister-in-law Harry and Sandy Keen of Lake Blackshear, sisters-in-law Elwanda Keen, Susan Keen and Mary Keen, Special nieces; Georgia Powell and Mary Evans.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to The Gideons International, Tifton Gideons Camp, P.O. Box 7051, Tifton, GA 31793-7051, or an online donation at www.gideons.org/sendtheword or Tiftarea House of Hope Building Fund, P.O. Box 7021, Tifton, Ga. 31793.

Special thanks for the love and care she received in her declining health years at Cypress Pond Assisted Living, Southern Care Assisted Living, Golden Living Center and Hospice of Tiftarea.Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.  You may sign the online register at www.albrittonfuneral.com