Johnnie Ruth Hall

There’s an open gate,

Through which each must go alone,

There’s a light we cannot see,

Our father claims his own beyond the gate,

Our loved ones find happiness, peace and rest.

There is comfort in the thought,

A loving God knows Best.

Johnnie Ruth (Williamson) Hall was the thirteenth of fourteen children and the youngest of eight girls born to the late William Porter and Clara Louise Williamson in Denmark, Tennessee on March 23, 1936. Mom went to her eternal home early morning on Thursday November 22, 2012. She was preceded in death by her husband, C.D. Hall from Sparkman, Arkansas. They met in 1957 in Milwaukee and married in June of the following year. Christian influence was instilled in her life by her parents at an early age and continued to guide her when she left Jackson, Tennessee. She became a member of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church under Pastor Reverend L.D. Bell Jr., where she began her journey as one of three forming members of Shiloh’s Usher Board which was first organized in march 0f 1954 and had been an active since. She spent countless hours at Shiloh wearing many hats such as the Usher’s Treasurer, Sunday School Teacher, Cook, Hostess and Waitress serving in any capacity needed. She was a faithful follower and always looked for active ways to, as she would say, “do God’s will.”

Mom attended and graduated from Denmark West High School in 1954 and attended one year of college. She loved basketball especially our beloved Milwaukee Bucks she also played in high school where she honed and displayed her skills. She wasn’t shy about letting her boys and anyone else within earshot knows “I could shoot the ball. Who do you think you got your skills from?” always with that beautiful smile.

She was a housewife for several years before joining the workforce. She worked at Cutler Hammer for several years before moving to Badger Meter in Brown Deer where she worked for fifteen years before retiring, due to a disability in 1994. She was a hard worker who loved to keep busy. She kept busy by volunteering at food pantries because she wanted to help others; she fed the homeless often times forgoing eating herself; visited the sick to offer words of hope and a soothing touch to provide comfort. She was a volunteer at the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee providing joy to others by showing off her dancing skills as a Silver Stepper.

She loved Gospel music often singing, humming, or finding a station on the radio to listen to it. She was a great storyteller often being invited by teachers of her grandchildren to speak to students during Black History month about her life growing up in the South during “Olden Times”. She would tell about all the chores they had to do before school which included picking cotton, cleaning the house, cooking, and feeding the animals before walking five miles to school; I am sure with that beautiful smile.

She was kind hearted and would do anything for anyone almost to a fault. She gave biblical counsel, financial support, provided shelter, food, and often a listening ear because many respected he non-judgmental views. She felt a kinship with any person she would meet often saying, “You look like someone I know or you look like my brother or sister”. She never met anyone she could not find a common bond with at any time. She dearly loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and felt it was her responsibility to guide us along the highway of life. She was neither afraid nor shy about using the phrase, “Spare the rod Spoil the child”, and however, often she would only need to give us a look with a few words and a soft touch, with that beautiful smile to discipline us. But when all else failed she used the rod (just ask a few of her loved ones).

She was the beloved mother of Eddie Hall, Danny Hall, and Barney (Julie) Hall, and loving grandma of Eddie (Queen) Hall, Evone Trammell, Emmannuel Trammell, Amanda Hall, Olivia Hall, Josephine Hall, and Everett Hall all of Milwaukee, WI. She will be dearly missed by her surviving brothers and sisters: Dorothy Pride of Chattanooga, TN, Gladys Wyms of Milwaukee, WI, Helen (Lamar) Burt of Kosciusko, MS, Robert Williamson of Pontiac, MI, Jesse Williamson of Jackson, TN, and special nephew Alfred Golden of Pontiac, MI, close friends Levell Willis and Wadine Taylor of Milwaukee, WI, along with several great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, many friends and god children.

The Funeral Services will be held Friday, November 30 at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 4801 W. capitol Drive beginning with a visitation from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, followed by a service from 11:15AM – 12:30PM and burial at Graceland Cemetery, 6401 N. 43rd Street.

The family is served by Suminski Family Funeral Homes, 414-276-5122