By Betsy Levinson — Betsy@concordbridge.org
and Christine M. Quirk — Christine@concordbridge.org
During nearly six decades in Concord, Mary Johnson poured time, energy, and heart into an extraordinary array of civic contributions.
Johnson, named Concord’s Honored Citizen in 2000, died September 29 at age 96.
Her determination, clad in unfailing courtesy, made Johnson a fierce advocate for housing, seniors, the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, Emerson Hospital, and many other Concord institutions.
“I think of her as a perfect example of a Steel Magnolia,” said friend Judy Walpole, who grew up with the Louisiana-raised Johnson on the Tourism Task Force. “Always gracious, warm and kind, but strongly focused on the task at hand and the best outcome for all concerned.”
“My mother had that wonderful combination of grace and grit,” said Johnson’s daughter, Sarah Compton. “She got things done, often amidst heated debate, but always respectfully and with such grace.”
Much of Johnson’s professional life was dedicated to uplifting people facing extreme challenges.
Early days
Johnson attended nursing school in New Orleans, later receiving a BS in nursing education at the University of Pennsylvania.
One of her first jobs was at what was then The National Leprosarium of the United States, in Carville, Louisiana. At that time, anyone diagnosed with Hansen’s disease, then called leprosy, was required by law to be quarantined and treated. The site is now home to The National Hansen’s Disease Museum.
This work, Compton said, fit with her mom’s practice of “often going off course and doing something she believed in that other people might not have been aligned with … How brave [of her] to be doing that at that age when there was so much stigma around it.”
The job at Carville might have been Johnson’s first out of nursing school, Compton said. “And she loved it. … It always remained a special place for her.”
North to Massachusetts
After she moved to Concord with her husband, Robert Compton, and two children, Johnson was active in the schools — at Willard and through the special education program for hard-of-hearing children at the Ripley building.
At the Concord-Carlisle Foundation, formerly the Concord-Carlisle Community Chest, Johnson started the Cornerstone Initiative in 1995 in memory of her second husband, Franklin Johnson. Among other works, the Initiative grants scholarships to candidates devoted to social justice for historically underserved populations.
Christine Economous, an Initiative member, worked with Johnson early on. “She asked tough questions, pushed me to be intentional about impact, and believed we could all make a difference,” Economous said.
“The Cornerstone Initiative lives on because of her dedication,“ said CCF executive director Jennifer Ubaldino.
On a mission
Johnson “served the town well for decades in so many capacities and looked at issues through an innate hospitality lens,” said former Town Clerk Anita Tekle.
“Whether it was her mission to spruce up the former ‘telephone booth corner,’ which preceded the War Memorial corner (at the foot of Main Street) and included an enclosed message wall, which she paid for with her own money, or her passion for constructing a visitor center, she was committed to making Concord more hospitable for all.”
Johnson was a corporator at Emerson Hospital and served on its board of directors for 14 years. She also served 10 years as an elected representative to the Concord Housing Authority.
CHA member Stephan Bader said it was Johnson who “accomplished the renovation and completion of the Peter Bulkeley Terrace project.”
Woven into Concord’s tapestry
“Mary recognized the need for a new visitor center over 20 years ago and brought together town administration and local businesses to support building 58 Main Street,” said tourism manager Beth Williams.
“Her life has provided one of the threads that has enriched the tapestry of our town,” said Johnson’s longtime friend Rebecca Purcell.
“My mother truly loved Concord,” Compton said. “Most of all, she loved the sense of community and the commitment to helping each other. She needed to serve, and she always found ways to do so here.”
Beyond her altruism was a wry side.
“Anyone who knew her delighted in her sense of humor,” which Compton said endured throughout her life.
“It was often dry and sometimes offbeat, and even in the last weeks of her life, she knew how to make us laugh and delighted in being able to do so, such that I paused to look at her and say, ‘Did you really just say that?’”
November 4, 2024: This story has been updated to clarify details about Mary Johnson’s arrival in Concord and her work on the Bulkeley project.
