Betty Stenhouse Johnson, 88, widow of Kendrick Rogers Johnson, died Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at Covenant Place in Sumter.
Born September 12, 1934, in Washington, DC, she was the daughter of the late Walter Adam Stenhouse and the late Edna Melville Walker Stenhouse. In her youth she worked at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, and in married life, helped with the typesetting of The Manning Times, when necessary. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Manning.
Betty was an ardent member of the Manning Azalea Garden Club. She loved anything to do with gardening and yard work. With her husband, Ken, she raised (besides the standard set of vegetables) blueberries, figs, grapes, a pineapple or two and even a banana plant. She also enjoyed sewing and cross stitching. Her culinary skills were unrivaled; she provided the family with fresh dinner rolls at every meal for decades. She and Ken camped and hiked all throughout the US and drove their 1991 Volkswagen Vanagon to Alaska (and back).
She is survived by two sons, Bruce A. Johnson (Janis Linkov-Johnson) of Herndon, VA and Brian K. Johnson (Darby Drafts) of Melrose, MA; a daughter, Jenny Johnson Aycock (Robert James Aycock IV) of Manning; six grandchildren, Caroline Aycock Muster (Andrew) of Columbia, April Oblander (Jacob) of Columbia,
Cameron Briggs Aycock (Vern) of Sumter, Lilah Drafts-Johnson of Hyattsville, MD, Alicja Johnson of Arlington, VA and Adam Drafts-Johnson of Melrose, MA; a great granddaughter, Quinn Muster; a brother, Walter R. Stenhouse (Vicki) of Palmyra, VA; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at the Presbyterian Church at Manning with the Reverend Doctor Charles Jarred Hammet, Jr. officiating.
The family received friends immediately following the memorial service at the church and other times at the home of her daughter, 1140 Forest Lake Drive, Manning.
Memorials may be made to the Azalea Garden Club, c/o Libby Durrenberger, P.O. Box 520, Manning, SC 29102, or to the Presbyterian Church at Manning, P.O. Box 207, Manning, SC 29102.
Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church Street, Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org
