Service at MJC to remember longtime education leader Odessa Johnson
A memorial service will be held May 30 for Odessa Johnson, an education trailblazer in Modesto who died April 21.
Her life and legacy will be honored at Modesto Junior College with a 1 p.m. reception in the Art Gallery and the memorial at 2:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
Johnson, 86, was one of the most accomplished educators in Stanislaus County and the first Black teacher at Modesto High School in 1962. She went on to work as a counselor at MJC and became the dean of education and workforce development.
Johnson was heralded as a role model for other Black educators and women in leadership.
After her retirement, Johnson served for four terms on the Modesto City Schools board and also served as a regent for the University of California.
Ken Carlson
The Modesto Bee