Biography:

Sally Stockley Johnson was born September 21, 1937, to Griffin Jasper (Jake) and Temple Wall Stockley in Memphis. She was the oldest of their three children, and she and her sister Harriet and brother Grif remained close throughout their lives. This was especially true in their later years when they would join together on hours-long phone calls to catch up, share memories and laugh, laugh, laugh. 

Sally spent her first years in Mississippi and then her family moved to Marianna, Arkansas, where she completed her public education. She was an excellent student (her saved report cards show her straight A’s in every grade) and enjoyed roles in school plays, year book staff, honor society, and girls basketball. After high school, Sally attended Southwestern College in Memphis, now Rhodes, and graduated with honors in three years.

Sally married her former high school math teacher, Voris Johnson, in Marianna in 1957. They were married for 29 years and had three children: Julie, Charlie and Voris Jr. (Vo). She was a devoted coach’s wife, attending Marianna Porcupine and Hot Springs Trojan basketball games on countless Tuesday and Friday nights. In the summers, they loved to take their children traveling, usually with a camper in tow, always mixing fun and education in each venture.

Sally started her career as a high school English and Spanish teacher at Marianna High School. Over the years she would also teach in the Hot Springs and Lakeside school districts as well as at Garland County Community College. To this day, former students cite the positive influence she had on their lives.

In the mid-70s, Sally changed careers and became the Director of Christian Education at her beloved church, Westminster Presbyterian in Hot Springs. She then felt a calling to the ministry and moved to Texas to attend Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She later served several churches in Texas, starting as an associate pastor at Northwood Presbyterian Church and ending her career as head pastor at Beacon Hill Presbyterian Church, both in San Antonio.

While in San Antonio, Sally met Carlos Lopez, a retired Presbyterian minister, and they both knew almost immediately that they were meant for each other. He brought 25 years of love and laughter to her life. They enjoyed traveling the world, dancing whenever and wherever, involvement in their churches, dinners and outings to the symphony and theater with friends, and spending time with family, especially their 13 shared grandchildren.

One of her final accomplishments was writing three novels, completing the third during the isolation of the pandemic. Writing fiction was something she had wanted to do since she was in third grade. 

Sally is preceded in death by her parents and siblings, both husbands, and Carlos’s oldest daughter, Teresa. She is survived by her children, Julie Holt, Charlie, Vo and their families and Carlos’s son Dan Lopez (Kristin), daughter Alicia Lopez (Eric and their families.

The family is grateful for the care Sally received over the last five years at Presbyterian Village and then in Woodland Heights’ memory care unit. She felt very loved at both places.

A service in memory of Sally will be held at Westover Hills Presbyterian Church later this summer.