Love Elizabeth "Tootsie" Johnson

Love Elizabeth “Tootsie” Johnson, 95, Kokomo, went to be with her Lord Friday morning, July 11, 2025.

Love Elizabeth (Lay) Johnson was born November 15, 1929, in Sharps Chapel, Tennessee to Floyd and Sarah (Shoffner) Lay.  She was the third of 7 children.  Preceding her in death:  Parents, Floyd and Sarah Lay.  Siblings, Edith (Cotton) Beason, Raymer (Lena Mae) Lay, Delano (Emma) Lay, Harold Lay, Wanda (Bruce) Williams, and HC Lay.  Sister-in-law, Alma Jean (Richard) Kivett, brother-in-law, Clint (Bessie) Johnson and Son-in-law, Kenneth Ray Mumaw.

She married the love of her life, Paul Johnson, who survives, on May 6, 1946, in Rossville, GA.  In 1947, Paul and Elizabeth moved to Kokomo, Indiana where they enjoyed their 79 years of marriage and built a family.

 Elizabeth was the loving mother of 4 daughters, Patricia Mumaw, Greentown, IN, Cathy (David) Wheeler, Sevierville, TN, Connie (Mike) Percifield, Converse, IN, and Pamela (Alan) Anderson, Kokomo, IN. 

She dearly loved her grandchildren, Angel (Dennis) Williams, Missy (Greg) Hollis, Julianna (Kevin) Trent, Jennifer (Troy) Cummings, Brandi (Jared) Wilgus, Holly Elizabeth (Tim) Streit, Kelly (Brandon) Frazer, Jeremy England, Justin England and her great-grandchildren, Dillon Hollis, Maya Hollis, Kelanna Love Trent, Railyn Trent, Zane Trent,  Abigail Wilgus,  Allison Wilgus, Trevor Wilgus, Kaiden Cummings, Cole Cummings, Alyssa Streit, Logan Streit, Gavin Frazer, Brooklynn England, and Ethan England.  They all represent Great-Granny Love’s legacy of love!

Also surviving are her special sister-in-law, Carlean Lay, who gave loving care to Tootsie’s mother, and sister-in-law, Elizabeth “Libby” Lay.   Many very special nieces and nephews loved “Aunt Tootsie” and were so dearly loved by her! 

Even though known her whole life as “Tootsie” by family members and friends, her first name Love was appropriate to her life.  She truly loved people!  She cherished each family member and verbalized her love at every opportunity.  She loved the Lord Jesus and was baptized into Christ for the remission of her sins on Easter Sunday, April 5th, 1953, in the Macedonia Christian Church where she was a member for 72 years.  She faithfully served the Lord as she taught the 4-year-old children’s Sunday school class and VBS for many years, sang in the choir, worked in the women’s ministry and was known for inviting a great number of people to church.  She graciously welcomed people into her home, her church, and her life.

Love Elizabeth exhibited love to everyone she met throughout her 95 years.  She loved her neighbors, doctors, nurses, Hospice caregivers, servers in restaurants, and so many friends!  She loved her children’s friends and always welcomed them into her home.  She made friends wherever she went even standing in line at The Dollar Tree!

She was a homemaker who loved baking, cooking delicious meals, sharing her home, music, gardening and flowers.   She appreciated those who brought her flowers to enjoy while she was confined to her home.  She was deeply grateful for the visits from family and friends!

Her final request would be that all would come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord of their life and prepare to meet Jesus and her in heaven where she will be waiting with her smile and open arms.

 In lieu of flowers please send gifts to Ark Ministries (Christian Camp), Macedonia Christian Church, or Johnson University’s David and Cathy Wheeler Scholarship Fund.  Elizabeth was an honorary alumnus of Johnson University.

A funeral service celebrating Love’s life will be held at 3 pm on Tuesday July 15, 2025, at Macedonia Christian Church, 1532 S 500 E, Kokomo. Entombment will take place on Wednesday at 11 am in Sunset Memory Garden Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family from 1 pm to 3 pm on Tuesday at the church.  Hasler & Stout Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.