Suzanne Markham Johnson

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Mrs. Suzanne Edith Anita Markham Johnson at home with her family, age 81 of Germanton passed away May 17, 2025, at her home. 

Memorial services will be held 2:00 PM Friday, May 23, 2025, at Elkin Presbyterian Church with Rev. Paula Nance, Rev. Dr. Mantle Nance, Rev. Arlo Tysinger, Rev. David McCollum and Dr. Bill Johnson officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. 

Suzanne was born, July 16, 1943, in New York City, NY to Samuel Irvin and Mary LewisHutchison Markham. 

She was preceded in death by her parents and a daughter, Lelia Kaye Nance. 

Suzanne graduated from Greensboro High School and Guilford College. She taught thousands of students at Guilford County, Stokes County, and Elkin City Schools. She cared about each student fiercely, but wasn’t afraid to “Tell their Mama” if they were acting up. 

Suzanne embraced life in her own joyous way. She was not afraid to laugh out loud and jump up and down for joy when she found out she was getting grandchildren, or cry openly in public when her children graduated from High School or got married. She would sing to her students if she thought it would help them remember material she was teaching, or do “The Jitterbug” with her students at the Prom. She loved to paint, and sing in the choir at Elkin Presbyterian, and tread the boards in community theatre. She had many close friends in Beta Sigma Phi, went to many Flea Markets with her BFF Deborah Haynes, and made untold amount of her famous tuna dip for any gathering she attended. 

When Suzanne met the love of her life, David, she expanded her love to include his family and friends as well. She and David were made for each other and enjoyed spending time together exploring all over the US in his truck, kayaking at ‘Nana’s Beach House”, listening to music with their “Beach Crew”, or enjoying their “Mountain Forever Home”. 

Suzanne and David filled both of those homes with family, music, love, laughter, great food, and lots and lots of treasures they picked up on their travels. 

Suzanne’s memory is alive in the hearts and minds of those who loved her: David Carr Johnson of the home; her daughters: Paula Edith Anita Nance of New York, Pamela Nance Coleman and husband David of Rolesville, Laura Beth Saldana and husband Israel of Shirley, MA, Heather Lynn Johnson and husband Peter of Smyrna, GA; her sons: Mantle Aaron Nance and wife Sally of Pineville, Michael David Johnson and wife Angela of Tobaccoville; eight grandchildren: Charlie Windsor Coleman, Tessa Brooke Coleman, Jackson Nehemiah Nance, Aaron Palmer Hays Nance, Zoe Lynn Saldana, Madeleine Irmi Berndt, Chris Dale Myers, Elizabeth Berry-Rhodes; her sister: Martha Markham Howard of Clemmons; her brother: Rick Markham and wife Pat of Reidsville; and every friend, student, or colleague whose life she made brighter.  

In lieu of flowers, Suzanne would be honored if memorials were made to any of the following:

-Lelia Kaye and Paul B. Nance Nursing Scholarship, c/o Surry Community College Foundation, 630 S. Main Street, Dobson, NC 27017, 

-Student Food Program: checks can be sent to: Elkin Presbyterian Church and in the memo line indicate Student Food Program ,151 Hillcrest Drive, Elkin, NC 28621 or donate online: www.elkinpres.org

-American Alzheimer’s Association, 4600 Park Road, Suite 250, Charlotte, NC 28209. 

To stream the service, go to www.elkinpres.org and click the “Watch Us Live Here” button. 

Online condolences may be made to www.reinssturdivant.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Suzanne Markham Johnson, please visit our floral store.