Johnnie Malisha (McKinney) Lester

Funeral services for Ms. Johnnie Lester, 94, of Decatur, Alabama, who passed away on August 28, 2023 at her residence will be held on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, 12:00 Noon at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church ( 2415 Old Moulton Road, Decatur, Alabama 35603) with Pastor Edward Owens, Officiating. The body will be in church 1hr before service time. Burial will be held at Springhill Cemetery.

Public viewing at Sharpley Funeral Home will be held on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 from 12:00 Noon-5:00PM and Wednesday, September 6, 2023 from 9:00AM-10:00AM

Johnnie Malisha McKinney Lester was born April 7, 1929, to Kirk and Eva Whitfield McKinney in Morgan County, Alabama. She attended Decatur City Schools and graduated from the Decatur Negro High School in 1948. She attended Twight light Cosmetology College in Memphis, Tennessee where she graduated in 1961. She moved to Detroit, Michigan and attended Providence Hospital School and graduated in 1979 as a certified Nurse Assistant. She was employed at Providence Hospital for 17 years until she retired due to illness with full retirement benefits. Johnnie served as a foster grandmother for 11 years at Eastwood Elementary where she was honored with a brick for the new playground.

She married Will Lester in April 1951 and to this union two children were born.

Proceeded I death by her parents, one sister: Louella McKinney, three brothers: Kirk McKinney, Charles McKinney and William Sizemore, one stepbrother William Lester.

Mrs. Lester accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior when she was 10 years of age at Spring Hill M.B. Church under the leadership of Charles Nelson. After returning to Decatur, she united with Shiloh M.B. Church under the leadership of Pastor Huggins.

She leaves to cherish er memory two daughters: Lynette L. (Anthony) Sharpe and Myra (Robert) Thomas. Four Grandchildren: Norris Lester, Malisha Lester, Sohnnie (Robert) Marshall, and Isaiah (Abbey) Thomas, Eight Great-Grandchildren: Marc Freeman, Shatori Freeman, Amonda Lester, Sheldon Lester, Maurice Brown, Norris Lester Jr., Jakesiha Lester, Naryha Lester and six Great-Great Grandchildren, one God child: Acher Jones, four dear friends: Essie Love, Novella Nelson, Mattie Allen and Sara Ward, a host of other relatives and friends.

Acknowledgement From the Family

  The family of Johnnie Lester would like to thank everyone for all acts of kindness shown during this difficult time.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Johnnie Malisha (McKinney) Lester, please visit our floral store.