Esther L.  Johnson, 68, departed this life on Saturday, October 20, 2018 at Decatur Memorial Hospital.  Esther L. Johnson was born on August 13, 1950 in Fayette County, Tennessee, the daughter of Richard L. Smith, Sr. and Ethel B. (Harvey) Smith.  She united in holy matrimony to James B. Johnson, Jr. in 1971.  Esther confessed her faith in Jesus Christ at an early age at Wray’s Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Somerville, Tennessee.  She moved her member ship to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in 1985 where she served faithfully as a member of the Nurses Guild and the Health Ministry. She graduated from Frazier High School in Covington, Tennessee Class of 1968.  After high school, Esther followed her passion of nursing.  She received and Associate Degree in Applied Science from Nursing from Kaskaskia Community College in Centralia, Illinois.  Esther received a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Millikin University.  She also completed a post master’s program Family Nurse Practitioner at Mennonite College of Nursing Bloomington, 1997.  Esther worked 23 years for St. Mary’s Hospital and 4 years at Decatur Memorial Hospital in Decatur.  She retired in 2012.  Esther leaves to cherish her loving memories: her husband James B. Johnson of 47 years; son Patrick L. Johnson (Colleen); daughter Patricia L. Johnson of Waukegan, IL; grandchildren: Aiden and Addison of Decatur, IL; sisters: Annie Smith and Fannie Smith; brothers: Willie G. Smith (Dorothy) all of Memphis, Tennessee; Richard Smith Jr. (Earnestine) of Mason, Tennessee, BB Smith of Somerville, Tennessee; aunts: Maggie L. Smith and Alice M. Cooper all of Memphis, Tennessee: uncle, Paul Harvey of Somerville, Tennessee and numerous, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.  The family would like to give special thanks to the staff at Fresenius Kidney Care.