Johnson

Sister Virginia Therese Johnson, M.M.

Posted

Sister Virginia Therese Johnson, M.M. , an educator who served as a missioner to Hawaii and to Nicaragua and Hong Kong, died Oct. 25 at Maryknoll Residential Care in Ossining. She was 95.

She held a doctorate in Asian history from St. John's University where she began as an instructor in Asian studies in 1965 and rose to become a full professor in 1975. She was dean of the Asian Center at St. John's, 1978 to 1980.

She had served as a teacher in Hong Kong, 1957-1965, and as a teacher and principal in Siuna, Nicaragua, 1945-1955. She was principal of the Maryknoll high school in Honolulu, 1955-1957, and also taught at another school there, 1936-1945.

Born in Brooklyn, she entered the Maryknoll Sisters in 1933 and made final vows in 1939. She was one of five in her family who became religious sisters: two Maryknollers, two Sisters of St. Joseph and one Blessed Sacrament Sister.

She is survived by two brothers, Clement J. Johnson and Thomas G. Johnson; and three sisters, Sister Mary Cornelius Johnson, C.S.J.; Loyola D. Johnson; and Sister Regina Johnson, M.M. A Funeral Mass was offered Oct. 30 in the chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Ossining, with burial in the sisters' cemetery.

Sister Virginia Therese Johnson, M.M.