Cornelia Stith Johnson
obituary
Cornelia Stith Johnson, age 82, a resident of Austin, TX since 1959, died January 31,
2001. She will be remembered by many as their Registered Nurse at Seton Hospital from 1959
thru 1979 when she retired. Born May 7, 1918, in Stith Valley, Meade County, KY, she was
educated in the one-room schoolhouse with her older brothers and sister as her teachers.
She graduated from Meade County High School, and in 1939, graduated from Kentucky Baptist
Nursing School. During World War II she was an RN for the Great Northern Railroad in
Chicago. After the war she moved to San Antonio, and met her future husband at the Texas
Democratic Convention in 1946. During her husband's career of road building, she attended
29 different Methodist Churches, and shared her solo vocal talents with their
congregations, before finally settling in Austin, TX. She was preceded in death by her
son, Stephen O'Kelley Johnson, in 1971. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Horace
Eldon Johnson and their two sons, David Stith Johnson and his wife, Mary Jane of Amarillo,
TX, Thomas Stith Johnson of Austin, TX, Daughterin-law Karen Key Johnson, grandchildren,
Taylor Johnson and Greer Johnson of Amarillo, TX, Emily Johnson, Christie Johnson and Jep
Johnson of Austin, TX. She was one of six children and is survived by one sister, Blanche
Drury Gailbreath, age 96, of Louisville, KY, one brother, Thomas J Stith, age 85 of Stith
Valley, KY, and a number of nieces and nephews. She was a member of St. John's United
Methodist Church, and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, and the Retirement & Nursing
Care Center. Memorial may be made to Meals on Wheels, and to Hospice of Austin, 4107
Spicewood Springs Road Suite 100 Austin, TX 78759. A memorial service was held on
Saturday, February 3, 2001, at 11 A.M. at St. John's United Methodist Church. Her family
expresses appreciation to her physician, Dr. R. E. Helmer Ill M D and the staff at
Southwest Regional Cancer Center. We wish to share her fond memories of Dr. Frank Pearce
with his many patients and
From Meade County News Leader, Vol 3, Issue 7, Friday Feburary 16, 2001, p. 8.