Adrienne Johnson

Adrienne Johnson, 45, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 30, 2026 at Levine and Dickson Hospice after a lengthy battle with grade 4 glioblastoma. She carried on her regular life with optimism and resilience for almost 2 years. However, her health began to decline rapidly in mid-December until her passing.

Born in Charlotte on March 26, 1980, to Bob and Jeannette Plyler, Adrienne was a "Lifer" of the Charlotte Country Day School community, where she formed lifelong friendships. During her high school years, she played field hockey and softball and was named First Team All-Observer in softball her senior year.

After graduating in 1998, Adrienne attended NC State University for two years before transferring to UNC Charlotte, where she earned a BFA in graphic design. She went on to build a successful career in marketing and design, serving as Senior Art Director for Belk Store, where she traveled extensively for photo shoots and commercial productions. She later became Creative Director for Rack Room Shoes and eventually vice President of Marketing at Morningstar Equities.

Adrienne was a blessing to her family and many friends. Known for her sense of humor and kindness, she was always there to lend a helping hand or laugh. A caring, sweet, and immensely talented woman, she will live in our hearts forever.

In addition to her parents, Adrienne is survived by her husband, Matt, and her beloved sons, Stone and Sawyer. She is also survived by her sister, Megan (Banks) Huntley; her much-loved niece and nephews; her aunts Sharon (Vic) and Debbie; and her uncle Russ.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to all who visited Adrienne, brought meals, sent messages, and offered prayers. Throughout her short life, she truly grew a wonderful group of friends that felt like family. We are deeply grateful to Novant Health, her oncologist Dr. Shehadeh, and the remarkable team at the Duke University Brain Cancer Center for their compassionate care.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 7 at Carmel Baptist Church, 1145 Pineville-Matthews Rd., Charlotte. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s and to the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University.