Written by David Hulme
Northeast Area Minister
Located in Northview Cemetery, in New Martinsville, is a very ordinary headstone that simply bears the name “Johnson.” If you were to stop long enough to read the equally ordinary grave markers, you would find they belong to P.W. Johnson (1898-1975) and Dora M. Johnson (1904-1995).
Born in Kentucky, P.W. Johnson was a builder and became very successful in the mining industry. Dora Johnson was a loving wife and homemaker. They had no children.
The Johnsons were active members of New Martinsville First Baptist Church (Panhandle) and donated the land for its present structure. P.W. would serve in a variety of roles at the church. He also served as president of the West Virginia Baptist Convention in 1954. To the best of anyone’s knowledge, Dora was active, but never held any leadership positions in the church.
After P.W.’s death in 1975, Dora continued to live in New Martinsville for the remainder of her life. She went home to be with her Lord in 1995 at the age of 91. Hence, the headstone and grave markers in Northview Cemetery.
Most legacy stories contain lots of information about a person’s outstanding accomplishments, their leadership in the church or their contributions to their community. If you’re looking for a recounting of such things here you won’t find them. However, I can’t help but believe that’s the way P.W. and Dora Johnson wanted it. Again, I point you to their very ordinary headstone and grave markers in Northview Cemetery.
The truth, however, is the impact of the lives of P.W. and Dora Johnson is yet to be fully realized. You see, when Dora passed away, she left a significant gift from the estate to the West Virginia Baptist Convention. One of the purposes of that gift was to support the planting of new churches. As we renew our commitment to plant new churches in West Virginia, how fitting that each new church is a tribute to the Johnson’s desire to bring glory to God, not themselves.
So, the very ordinary headstone and grave markers in Northview Cemetery, I’m sure, suited P.W. and Dora Johnson just fine. That’s because, instead of monuments, they were content with a recognition far greater … “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
What will your legacy be? To learn how you can leave a legacy gift, contact Todd McClure.
