Rita Marie Johnson

On June 11, 1956, Calvin and Betty (Luckey) Johnson of Youngstown, Ohio, welcomed a beautiful baby girl, and they named her Rita Marie. Later, her mother Betty married William Wilson (Tom), and she and her sister Paula were raised in Detroit. The family attended Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church under the pastorship of Dr. Reverend Frederick G. Sampson. She was a shy, quiet child, and a reserved teenager. Rita attended Detroit Public Schools and graduated from Cass Technical High in 1974. As a young adult, Rita established a small circle of intimate friends. Together they enjoyed playing cards, dancing, shooting pool, horseback riding, and bowling. An intelligent, methodical thinker, Rita was an avid chess player. A genuine homebody, she purchased her first house at age 25, and took pleasure in gardening and doing yard work. She relished spending time with her family. From time to time, she traveled to visit friends. During her career of more than twenty years at the Detroit Police Department, Rita served as a police officer, a court liaison officer at 36th District Court, and an investigator at the 7th Precinct. Rotating work schedules interfered with her plans to take classes to become a veterinarian. She retired from DPD in 2005 due to health reasons. Later, as a part-time hobby, she became a successful dog groomer, establishing “Pampered Pooches” at her home. Anyone who knew Rita knows that she absolutely LOVED dogs! Throughout her lifetime, she owned dozens of them – from 8-pound poodles and little terriers – to 150-pound Rottweilers, Pitt Bulls, and Borzois – plus every size and shape in between. She adopted several rescue dogs, stray pets found their way to her door, and the neighbors knew her as the “dog lady.” Cold noses and wagging tails brought happiness to Rita’s heart and a smile to her face. She leaves to cherish her memory two sisters, Patricia El-Amin and Paula Johnson Williams; a nephew, Anthony Lisbon (Jenaye) and two nieces, Terri Towns (Vincent) and Tracie Lisbon-Hamilton; a great-niece Simone Sharp (Antwon), three great-nephews Anthony Lisbon, Marc Lincoln, Jr. (Tamara), and Michael Davis (Teneasha); plus 9 great-great nephews and nieces, and a host of cousins and friends.

Rita Marie Johnson

June 11, 1956 - April 16, 2025