Marita Joyce (Milner) Johnson was born July 6, 1932, to Gus and Lela Milner in Davis, Oklahoma. They moved to Pauls Valley when Marita was 9 years old, where her dad owned and operated Milner’s Bakery.
Marita attended Pauls Valley High School where she graduated top 10 in her graduating class. She held first chair in clarinet in band, was president of Future Homemakers of America, and was active in drama class, where she usually played the part of a little girl because of her size. She was voted most ambitious by her senior class. After high school she attended Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Marita met her husband Leon while he was employed at the bakery. They married in 1950 and spent 67 years together working side by side until his passing in 2018. Together they raised five children.
In 1960 Marita started making draperies for local furniture stores in her home. She quickly had to move downtown, first to the Yeatt’s Furniture store. In 1970 she moved to the current location. She was definitely ambitious and soon opened stores in Ada, Ardmore and Norman.
Marita has been a member of the First Baptist Church of Pauls Valley for 84 years. She loved her church and church family.
Marita is preceded in death by her husband, Leon Johnson; parents, Gus and Lela Milner; brothers, Alfred and Ralph Milner; sister, Annette Palmer; son, Danny Johnson; bonus grandson, Scott Flaman; and father- and mother-in-law, Bud and Ivy Johnson.
She is survived by her son, Terry Johnson, and his wife, Barbara; daughter, Anita Cottrell, and her husband, David; son, Eric Johnson, and his wife, Shirley; daughter, Lea Ann Stevenson, and her husband, John; nine grandchildren: Jill Young and husband, David; Jeremy Cottrell and wife, Teri; Christy Dabbs and husband, A J; April Cartwright; Alicia Willis; BJ Johnson and wife, Selena; Chris Johnson; Dusty Willis and wife, Kristi; Jamie Gray and husband, Jason; 17 great-grandchildren: Emilee and Zachary Young, Joshua Cottrell, Ethan and Loren Cartwright, Jacob and Aja Riddle, Lexi and John Eric Johnson, Jillian and Sydney Johnson, Henley, Dawson and Kensington Willis, Austin, Dawayne and Megan Chestang, and bonus grandchildren, Dillon and Te’a Prince; and six great-great-grandchildren: Delilah, Luke, Hazel, Lakelynn, Callum and Salem.
She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and friends.
Marita survived pancreatic cancer for 12 years, which was a testament of her strong will and faith. She never doubted that God was in control. She was diagnosed with leukemia in March of 2025 and continued to praise God for the beautiful life he gave her.
While visiting with friends a few days before she died, Mom said something that we should all take with us in her memory:
“I’ve lived so long and learned so much, I’ll never live long enough to forget it all.”
—Marita Johnson
Funeral services are scheduled for March 21, 2026 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Pauls Valley with John Stevenson officiating. Interment will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Wooster Funeral Home.
