In Memory of Martha Johnson
Martha Johnson, educator, administrator, librarian, girls’ dorm home dean, writer, missionary, colleague and friend, has passed and is waiting for Jesus to come. Saying goodbye to such an amazing and godly woman seems so small compared to the scope of her legacy, which continues to live within Newbury Park Adventist Academy.
When I came to NPAA in 1992, Mrs. Johnson had already reached the icon status for knowing everything that was NPAA. Between her and her son Ron, who learned from his dad Bernie, they knew all the ins and outs of the school and the greater campus. If I had a question, I knew I could trust that one or both would know the answer to my question. I soon learned that their “knowing” came from years of dedication and hard work in serving the school.
Coming to the campus as a young, enthusiastic teacher, I was privileged to learn from this master teacher. I learned to embrace Glasser’s Choice Theory, to understand the good and the not-so-good that was Adventist Education, and find joy and meaning in unselfish service. With boundless energy and determination, Martha would go through each day, a smile on her face, a tilt of her head, and a quick laugh (I can still hear the giggle) that assured me that things were as they should be.
Martha taught me ever-so-many things that have become a part of my life and teaching. First, she lived unselfish service, which challenged everyone around her to be generous with our time, money, and energy. Second, she was constantly learning to expand and hone her knowledge base to benefit her students as she performed at her job. Third, she understood the value of time spent, always willing to listen to colleagues, parents and students, who sought the warmth and wisdom she so generously shared. Finally, but definitely not the end of her gifts, Martha chose to look at the positive, whether dealing with discipline issues, taking on huge projects, or doing the mundane, day-to-day paperwork demanded in education.
Martha especially enjoyed graduation, fully reveling in the details and process of the hectic weekend. She loved planning the faculty’s send-off for the seniors after Friday morning’s practice, looking for fun ideas to build memories. One year, she decided that if I would write a rap about the seniors, she and Ainsley Hurdle would join me in presenting it. The visual memory of Martha and Ainsley, with their NPAA golf hats on backwards, still makes me laugh because we were definitely the least gifted “rappers,” but the most willing to create a memory for the seniors (That’s the class, uh huh, that’s the class you can’t surpass!). Oh, how she loved fun!
Goodbye for now, dearest friend. See you in the Morning when Jesus calls to you, His good and faithful servant.
- Tracy Harder, English Department