Phyllis "Herk" Johnson

Phyllis "Herk" Johnson, 86, of Massillon, Ohio passed away unexpectedly on March 7, 2024. She was born on October 25, 1937, in Oil City, Pennsylvania to the late Luther and Marge Grening.

Herk retired from her surgical nursing career at Massillon Community Hospital but continued to live an active life. She enjoyed spending time putzing in her beautiful flower beds and down at Mohican, playing in the dirt. Some of the jobs she never retired from were being “just a housewife” and iconic “Heymom”. She had an incredible green thumb, and it was bad luck to say “thank you” for her plant starts. She loved to crochet, and many family members, friends and former teachers enjoy the fruits of her labor. She spent hours doing genealogy and loved learning and sharing about her family. She was always up to play a game, do a puzzle, float down the river or fix you something. The squirrels and birds in her yard never went hungry, but the chipmunks never won against her bucket! She loved all her grand dogs, she thought shoes were overrated and rarely skipped happy hour.

In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her son, Barry "BJ" Johnson; and sisters, Marlu McCoy and Gayle Hoffman.

Left to cherish her memory, is her loving husband of 65 years, Gerald L.(Jerry) Johnson; children, Lori Nemec, Scott (Sherry) Johnson, Bruce (Maria) Johnson, and Luther "Brian" Johnson; grandchildren, Chelsey (Isaac) Cueto, Courtney (Kindra) Johnson, Zoe Johnson, Lea Johnson, Kylie Johnson, Khloe Johnson, Logan Nemec, Lucy Nemec, and Colin Tabellion; great-grandchildren, Elijah Cueto, Phoebe Cueto, and Ezra Cueto; along with numerous nieces, nephews and friends that she cared deeply for. There were no strangers to her, only friends she had not yet met.

The family will receive friends from 9:30am to 10:30am on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Massillon. A memorial service and luncheon will take place immediately after.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Herks' memory to the Hamot Nursing Alumni Scholarship c/o Rebecca Wilson 4069 Argyle Ave. Erie, PA 16505 and St. Jude’s Hospital.