Geraldine Janet Johnson Mogridge Harrison

1921 - 2017

Geraldine Janet Johnson Mogridge Harrison

Greenville, SC

Geraldine was born February 26, 1921 in Detroit Michigan to Jennie Mae Hoover and John Paul Johnson. As a young woman, she started out working as a model in the window of J. L. Hudson's Department Store. Although she dreamed of being an artist, after her modeling job she put her dream on hold and worked various secretarial and clerk-type jobs. Eventually, given her keen sense of design, artistic flair, and well-honed people skills she started her own interior decorating business. She wrote poetry and in later years began painting with oils.

However, Geraldine's most defining career and artistry was as a mother. In 1941 she married Harold F. Mogridge and helped build their homestead on a 5 acre lot on 8 Mile Road near Northville MI where they raised 3 children. She greatly preferred playing games with her children, having tea parties and spur of the moment picnics rather than doing mundane chores. Her attitude: "I will always have dishes to do but you won't always be here." She frequently advised that one should never miss a sunset.

She had a lively sense of humor right up to the end and loved both puns and pranks. For her, April Fool's day was a major holiday when she would do things like short sheeting her children's beds or sew up a leg of their pajamas. Never one to follow the crowd, she often developed her own set of rules for games such as canasta and scrabble.

Later in life she moved to El Paso, Texas and married Thomas Harrison. She is survived by her children, Lynn Mogridge Downs (Doug), Sandra Mogridge Rogers (Tom) and Jon Mogridge (Pat); eight grand children, Katie Downs Kiss, Douglas Downs (Katie), Andrew Downs (Alyse), Scott Rogers (Claire), Mark Rogers (Dina), Kelly Rogers Farabee (Adam), Sean Mogridge, and Casey Mogridge Mitchell (Neill); eight great-grandchildren, Spencer and Jasper Kiss, Nikola and Rafael Rogers, Norseen Rogers, Lois and Ezekiel Farabee, and Mia Mitchell.

A family memorial service will be held at a later date.

Condolences can be shared at www.mackeymortuary.com.