Cornelia Eliza Johnson, 96, took her trip over the rainbow to Eternal Life on July 16, 2016.  Cornelia was lovingly known as "Ma", "Aunt Nealie", or "Nealie" by her children, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Cornelia was born on January 8, 1920 to Ernest and Eliza Johnson in Montclair, New Jersey. As her parents travelled up and down the east coast as domestic workers, Cornelia spent her formative years in Charlotte Courthouse, VA.  When Nealie was 6 years old, her family moved to Asbury Park, NJ where she was educated in the Asbury Park School System from elementary to high school.  In 1936, Nealie moved with her sister, Margie, to New York City where she resided for over 20 years.

Nealie returned to New Jersey in the 1960s where she was employed as a caregiver at the Methodist Episcopal Home for the Aged in Ocean Grove, NJ, an aide for Monmouth County Children's Services in Freehold, NJ, and an Assistant Activity Director at the Medi-Center in Neptune City, NJ.  She volunteered for CHANT Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, served as a long time active member of the Tenants' Association of Sebastian Villa, and was the next to last surviving member of the Valiant Ladies Social Club. In December of 2015, Cornelia was recognized by the Township of Neptune for her years of dedicated service in Volunteerism and Citizenship.

Nealie was known to travel and enjoy trips to Atlantic City, family gatherings, Broadway Plays, and years of bowling with the Neptune Senior League.  She was often seen with her cousin, Elizabeth "Skip" Jordan, who predeceased her in 2014. Skip and Nealie were raised together, remained very close and were often thought to be sisters by many friends and family.  Common nick-names for this dynamic duo were: "The Girl Scouts", "The Ginger Snaps", "Sandy and Mandy", "Thelma and Louise" and "The Platinum Girls".

Nealie has two beloved sons, her eldest, Stephen Johnson, was a well-known pencil artist in New York City whose life was chronicled by the ABC news segment "Like It Is" until his death in 1981. Her younger son, Vel Johnson, is a very talented local musician known for his skills on the saxophone and keyboard.

Nealie was predeceased by her son, Stephen Johnson; parents, Ernest and Eliza Johnson; siblings, Ethel, Mary, Joseph, Margie and Euguene "Snookie" Johnson.

Nealie is survive by one son, Vel Johnson, Toms River NJ; two grandsons, Tahiem Smith, Asbury Park, NJ, and Bryan Foster-Johnson, Neptune, NJ; nieces, Joann (Doug) Clemons, Union, NJ, Denise (Darius) Miller, St. Petersburg, FL, Barbara Wright, Harriet Major, her caretaker, Stephanie (Robert) Thompson, all of Neptune, NJ, and Diedre (Larry) Greene of Albany, Oregon; and a host of great nieces, great nephews, great-great neices and nephews, cousins, friends, and Melissa L. (Michael) Silvani, Farmingdale, NJ, whom she loved and treated as a granddaughter.​