Elsie Johnson was born on September 24, 1937 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was one of two daughters that blessed the union of Wiley Clinton "Abe" & Bessye Banks (nee Waller) Johnson. She attended Blessed Martin School until the eighth grade and from there to Hughes High School where she graduated. Elsie traveled with her sister, Jan's bowling league even though she never bowled. She was employed with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency for 35 years as a Risk Management/Hazardous Materials Shipment Specialist. After retirement from the EPA, she worked at Quinn Chapel with Rev Jordan very briefly. After Quinn Chapel she took her talents to Bethel AME Church in Lockland, OH. She worked there for Rev. Calvin Hooks and Rev. Robert Dye until she retired in 2016 after giving Bethel 19 years of service. Elsie gave Rev. Calvin Hooks his first dollar (plus) when he started his church, Higher Ground. "Peachy" as she was affectionately known was baptized at the age of seven at St. Christina, now known as St. Martin De Porres. Later in life, her daughter, Lisa, brought her to Quinn Chapel AME Church and there she remained. She served Quinn under the leadership of the late Rev. Donald H. Jordan, Sr., Rev. Taylor Thompson and the current pastor, Dr. Frederick A. Wright, Sr. While at Quinn she served on the Steward Board, becoming Steward Emeritus. She started doing breakfast at Quinn every Sunday morning with the help of her family and other Quinn members. She always cooked for vacation bible school and whenever asked. On New Year's Eve Quinn Chapel was filled to capacity. Not only were you getting a great message and music by some of the finest artists in the Tri-State but you were going to get a New year's Eve dinner prepared by Elsie and the other Willing Workers, that was second to none. It was probably the best in the city. The menu included every soul food dish that you could imagine. The aroma of the dinner filled the air at church making it very difficult to concentrate on the service. Those were some of the good old days at Quinn. She also began having Thanksgiving dinner at church for those who had no place to go. This she did for years. Elsie loved the Lord and Quinn Chapel and served until she could no more. Elsie was blessed with seven children: Kenneth, Lisa, Harold, Daryl, Jan, Christopher and Jessica. Her parents, Abe and Bessye; daughter, "Baby" Jan & two daughters-in-law, Michelle "Missy" Croley and Belinda "Bebop Johnson, preceded her in death. She departed this earthly life for her heavenly home on Thursday, August 17, 2017 at Bethesda North Hospital. Elsie leaves not to mourn her passing but to cherish years of loving and precious memories to: six children, Kenneth Johnson, Lisa Johnson, Harold (Ingrid) Croley, Daryl Croley, Christopher (Angela) Croley and Jessica "JJ" Croley; one sister, Janice Shavers (Richard) Calloway; only first cousins, Lynne (Rev. Gerald) Joiner, Phyllis (Paul) Pryde and James Willard Head; 15 grandchildren, Danyell, Michelle, Christina, Kenneth II (Amanda), Kendra, Quiana, Harold II, (Tyisha) Ashley, Lenora, Sterling "Blake", Daryl II (Crystal), Christopher II, Naqwan, Brittany and Jalen, 29 great grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild, a host of other loving relatives and friends. Visitation is from 10:00 am until 11:00 am, on Saturday, August 26, 2017, at the Quinn Chapel AME Church, 10998 Southland Road, Cincinnati (45240). The funeral service will immediately follow the visitation beginning at 11:00 am. To share a memory of Elsie or leave a special message for the Croley family, please click the Share Button below. Walker Funeral Home of Cincinnati is serving the Croley family. Please call (513) 251-6200 or visit www.WalkerFuneralHome.com for additional information.

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