Frank 'BJ" Johnson

Born January 28th, 1953 to Laurene Crudupt in Chicago, Illinois, father, Luther Black, Frank was the eldest of three other siblings. Proud of his Chicago roots, Frank always bragged about being from the South Side, selling Jet Magazine, which he claimed he ‘borrowed’ from other sources, at the age of 9, to make money for his family.

He spent his younger years in and out of Group Homes, sometimes with his mother having to search out the location of his placement. Among these placements, Frank lived in the ‘Audy Homes,’ a reform school for wayward children. From there, he went to Father Flanigan’s Boys’ Town in Omaha, Nebraska from grade school through his high school years. Widely known as a peacekeeper, and easy to get along with. Frank was a star athlete in basketball, football and baseball. Frank, who graduated from high school in 1972, was always well thought of by classmates who remember him fondly. Entering the military, following a friend, Frank came to Albuquerque, in 1974, from Boys’ Town, to enter the U.S. Air Force. Friends followed friends, creating a small and familiar community circle for Frank, here in New Mexico, where he served until 1981. While in the military, Frank recalled being given the choice of being called ‘Stony’ or ‘B.J.’ a shortened nickname as he was frequently called ‘Brother Johnson’ all around the Base. ‘B.J.’ was his quick choice, cherishing the ‘Brother Johnson’ moniker.

Frank met a young Ann Jackson in 1981. Ann says she didn’t even like ‘B.J, after first meeting him at a dinner. But, later, after several encounters, the relationship began to grow. They married in 1984 at Fellowship’s Miles Road location, by Rev. Elwood J. McDowell. Bro. B.J. and Sis. Ann Johnson, very young adults who said they knew nothing about parenting, took in two children whom they adopted, Stephanie Meeks and Maurice Hill, who were only 8 and 9 years old. Stephanie and Maurice’s grandmother, Miss Dorethea, who was raising them, grew deathly ill from cancer. She had met B.J. when he first moved to Albuquerque and came to call her ‘Mother’ as their family friendship grew. At the end of her life, she asked B.J. to promise to care for her grandchildren. He promised, and he kept that promise, fulfilling it and blending the two youth with his and Ann’s growing family, all to include son, Donnell, and daughters Angela and Tiffany. He was a man who kept his word and fulfilled the commitments he made.

Brother Johnson chose to be baptized at the age of 30, purposefully following the example of Jesus Christ, who was baptized at the same age. Deeply committed to the Word of God, B.J., enrolled in and completed theological classes. Ann attributes her returning to Fellowship, as a faithful and committed member, to her husband, who was sincere about leading his family uprightly and righteously according to God’s Word. B.J. served as a faithful usher, and regularly cleaned the Miles Road and Ash Street locations, with team members wife, Ann, and friend Barbara ‘Bucky’ Smith. This team cleaned and cared for the premises until ‘The Exodus’ move to Fellowship’s new location of Saul Bell Road in 2002.

The Johnson family children vividly remember B.J.’s generous spirit, from housing just about anyone from anywhere, often giving his last money to help another person, sharing meals in their crowded, but, contented home and responding at every turn with the most prolific ‘B.J.’ phrase, “No problem. It ain’t no problem,” for he believed, always, that God would provide. So many others also benefitted from B.J.’s generous spirit, doing handyman jobs, constructing, painting, fixing whatever--. For the eight (8) years he worked for Citibank in the Mail Room, B.J. was often called on for repairs, upkeep, ‘fix-it’ calls, and from there began to put those skills toward his own, self-employed capacity. He served the Church in a variety of roles including, the Seniors of Fellowship. BJ served countless other friends, members and strangers who became friends, always with his easy-going countenance, delivering quality construction and repair services, -- probably without charging adequately for his skilled work. Those skills, says wife, Ann Johnson, certainly benefited many others—but, hardly at home. While B. J. was working and completing repairs for others, she would fuss, persistently, that his own home, which he was remodeling for 26 (!) years, said daughters Angela and Tiffany, is still incomplete. Just as the doctor’s children may go unattended, the dentist’s family’s teeth were to be worked on ‘later,’ so was the tale of the remodeling getting ‘finished’ in the Johnson home. (It’s still incomplete!) On the other hand, there were certainly matters B.J. enjoyed to the very end. B.J. loved ‘Judge Mathis,’ ‘Judge Judy,’ ‘Jerry Springer,’ and the horse races. He loved the Jackson-Wilson-Sanders-Robinson (J.W.S.R.) Family reunions, where he would hang out with all the cousins, always looking forward to the fun, crazy talk and camaraderie. And—his ‘partner in crime,’ ‘Tweet’ (Brenda King) as they reminisced and continued their regular bonding rituals that they so much enjoyed together—like those horse races. And he loved carrying young Rudy, a very special nephew, around with him, summer after summer, teaching him skills, building confidence and encouraging him at every turn. He wanted him to learn and believe he could be his own very best. Such was Brother Johnson’s gift to so many friends, just in need of a little encouragement and someone to believe in them. And B.J. always believed. B.J. took great pride in getting to work with his oldest son, Jerome, on a variety of painting, repair and construction projects. B.J. said he trained him to be the best! He believed in the best in so many.

First diagnosed with cancer in 2000, B.J. battled the disease for two (2) years before going into remission. Cancer returned in the fall of 2022 and treatments resumed, including stem cell treatments for which he had to travel to Seattle, Washington. Beating COVID, flu epidemics and other maladies, all while struggling through the cancer, B.J. still persisted, even after the doctors gave up on any other treatments. B.J. amazed the physicians as he pressed on his life, continued to work, determined, in his words, “…not to sit around, just waiting to die.” In his most recent bout with illness, the Lord blessed B.J. and Ann with the comfort and caring of His ministering angels, nurses of the V.A. Hospital who helped meet their every need. Sis. Monica Boyd, Sis. Cynthia McCorvey and retired Nurse, Sis. Adlene Robinson, all members of the Fellowship Family, were, as Ann described, “…Just always there, it seemed, whenever we needed anything.” Just as B.J. trusted, God did, indeed, provide.

Feeling the need, during the COVID pandemic, to be in the physical presence of other Believers, and not connecting easily in the virtual environment, Bro. B.J. affiliated with Macedonia Baptist Church. He regularly took his young grandson, Zerion, along with him, proud that Zerion became a drummer for Macedonia’s choir, and that the congregants began to nickname Zerion ‘Deacon Z,’ despite Zerion saying that he was, “…still a member of Fellowship,” mirroring his grandfather’s conceptual love for both churches. That was so true. B.J.’s heart loved the church, so greatly, he felt both Fellowship and Macedonia were his church homes. Bro. B.J. would tune in for Bible Study on Tuesdays, with Fellowship, then attend Wednesday evening service at Macedonia. Brother Frank ‘B.J.’ Johnson lived his life trying to serve and please the Lord, putting his genuine care and his love for others in action, even more than in his words. He was a true blessing to so many. His spirit persists as he leaves behind a legacy of faith, of love, of commitment to serve, anywhere, anyone, under any circumstance he could. His belief that God will provide continues to cover his family, friends and all whom he loved.

Brother Frank ‘B.J.’ Johnson was preceded in death by his parents, Laurene Crudupt and Luther Black; his eldest son, Jerome Butler, brother, Larry Johnson, and daughter, Julia Johnson. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Ann Jackson Johnson, children, Stephanie Meeks (Ryan), of Aurora, Colo., Maurice Muhammad, Albuquerque, Angela Johnson Ricks (Thomas), of Atlanta, Ga., Donnell Hamilton and Tiffany Johnson, both of Albuquerque; his sisters, Mary Ruth Johnson and Diane Randel, both of Albuquerque; beloved sister-in-law, Yvonda Jackson, of Marietta, Ga.; special brothers, B.F.F. Michael Patterson and Jason Law, both of Albuquerque; forever daughter-in-law, Robbie Ann Muhammad, daughters Jeanine and J’nel Johnson; grandchildren, Ra’id Hill (Meghan), of Everest, Wash., Hunter Butler, Atiya and Siddiq Muhammad, of Albuquerque, Serena and Kenya Johnson, of North Carolina, along with youngest grandsons, Mason Meeks, of Aurora, Co., youngest grandson, Zerion Johnson, of Albuquerque, and youngest granddaughter, Noa Ann-Marseilles Ricks, of Atlanta, Ga.; nieces, Alexandria and Jada Blouin, of Marietta, Ga.; niece, Diane Johnson, of California, special nephew, Rudy Billups, Lafayette, Indiana; great-grandchildren, Xeleyna Hill, Xeris Hill, Anaya Mae Hill and Nazir Swanson; J.W.S.R. Family Reunion Cousins; special memories for dear friends from Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Town, Roderick James, Tony Garza and David Aaron, plus Tom, from the gas station and a host of other cherished friends.

All the family members of Brother Frank ‘B.J.’ Johnson wish to thank everyone for every kind word or deed, for every prayer lifted, for every act of love shown. We appreciate you all and we thank Our God for you.

“Well done, Good and Faithful Servant…”