Luria Sylvester Johnson, 79, better known as “Shy” was born January 16, 1946 to Ernest and Ernestine (Garrett) Johnson in Tunica, Mississippi. He departed this life on March 29, 2025 at his home in Benton Harbor.
Shy moved to Benton Harbor in 1955. He cherished his time growing up in Benton Harbor with family and neighbors who were more like family. He gave his life to the Lord at Beautiful Gate Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. C. M. Jones Sr. Shy was a proud graduate of the Benton Harbor High School class of 1966 and was also devoted to his fellow graduates of Bard Elementary. He was studious and a stellar athlete, particularly excelling in football and track and field. Shy was drafted into the military one week after his high school graduation. He served valiantly in the United States Air Force and served 19 months in Vietnam and 12 months in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Following his return home, Shy returned to Benton Harbor where he began working as a machinist at Whirlpool in October of 1969. He worked as a machinist until the closure of the plant in 2011. He had perfect attendance and never missed a day. Shy was devoted to his family and kept to a strict schedule checking on friends and family members throughout his life. He loved Chicago sports teams, soap operas and his Camaro that he purchased in 2021. He was the person you could always rely on and you knew he would be there on time.
Left to cherish his everlasting memory are his daughter, Elizabeth McCree and her mother and his close friend, Edwina McCree, his brother, Ellis “Lee” Johnson, his cousins Carol (Rev. Michael) Wilder and Bernice (Jesse) Johnson, sisters-in-law, Louise Johnson and Mattie Barney Johnson, close friends, Elijah Burton, Albert Franklin, Herman Goodloe, and Ernest Payton and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. Preceding him in death are his parents, his brothers Ernest Johnson Jr. and Carl Johnson, his Aunt Ida Mae Williams, his Uncles Moses Garrett and Bruce Garrett, his cousin Lyman Garrett and his close friend, William Leon ” Billy” Whitfield.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Luria “Shy” S. Johnson, please visit our floral store.
Services
VISITATION
Saturday
April 5, 2025
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Second Baptist Church
600 Donald Adkins Dr.
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
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FUNERAL SERVICE
Saturday
April 5, 2025
11:00 AM
Second Baptist Church
600 Donald Adkins Dr.
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
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Send Flowers to Luria “Shy” S. Johnson’s Funeral Service
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INTERMENT FOLLOWING FUNERAL SERVICE
Saturday
April 5, 2025
North Shore Memory Gardens
5027 M 63 N
Coloma, MI 49038
Posted On: Monday, March 31, 2025 4:03 PM
