Reverend Stephen Lloyd Johnson, 76, of Seattle, Washington, passed away on November 3, 2023. He spent his life helping others, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and selflessness.
Stephen was born in Seattle, Washington on July 22, 1947. He will be deeply missed by the surviving family members, including his brother and sister-in-law, David and Carol Johnson, his brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Deena Johnson, his nephew Nate Johnson, and his niece Brianna Johnson.
Stephen also mentored several young men by funding their education. One of these young men, Sang Mendy, and eventually Sang’s wife and son became an important part of Stephen’s life. They provided companionship and cared for him and were well loved by him. Stephen’s long-term friend Allan Beasley also played an important role in his life.
He was preceded in death by his father, Lloyd Johnson, and his mother, Phyllis Johnson.
Stephen received his education from Nathan Hale High School (1965) in Seattle and furthered his studies at the University of Washington where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work. During this time, he also was on the staff of the Seattle chapter of Young Life and was involved in the college ministry of University Presbyterian Church.
During high school and early years of college he, along with his brother David, were members of Explorer Search and Rescue where they participated in many missions to find and rescue lost hikers and climbers in the mountains of Washington. Stephen also assisted in the construction of Camp Schurman located at 9,700 feet on Mount Rainer and made at least two accents of the mountain.
He continued his studies in Atlanta, GA where he did graduate study in clinical psychology and earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1986 from the Morehouse School of Religion.
He was ordained at Mount Zion Baptist Church by Rev. Dr. Samuel McKinney and served as an Associate Pastor under him at Mount Zion. In that role he was focused on counseling individuals in the wider community who were seeking recovery from drug addiction. He founded the Cocaine Outreach and Recovery Program (C.O.R.P.) and directed it for more than 30 years to concentrate on this work. His commitment to his beliefs was evident in his actions and interactions with others.
A ceremony to honor Stephen's life will be held on Friday, December 1, 2023, at 11:00 AM at Mount Zion Baptist Church, located at 1634 19th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122. Contributions in his memory can be made to the Seattle College Foundation ‘Equity Can’t Wait’ fund to support underserved students or Mount Zion Baptist Church.