Harriet Mincey Johnson

Harriet Ruth Mincey Johnson, a devoted mother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

She was born in Thomaston, Georgia, on June 6, 1956 to Rollo Jackson and Gwendolyn Mincey. She was the middle child, surrounded by two brothers, whom she adored. Harriet attended R.E. Lee High School and later, the University of Georgia. At an early age she demonstrated a passion for caring for others. This led her to the Medical College of Georgia, where she completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. There, she married before moving to Lexington, Kentucky, where she welcomed her first son, Paul. The young family returned to Georgia, this time to Savannah, where son Eric was born and they lived on the marsh on Isle of Hope. The family settled in Calhoun, where she raised her sons with unwavering strength, fierce devotion, and quiet resolve. She was the steady hand behind their successes - cheering from the sidelines, guiding late-night study sessions, and opening their eyes to the world through travel and shared adventure.

After sending her boys off to college, Harriet continued her own education, receiving a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Alabama. True to her nature, she focused her career on the care of young children and their mothers, especially those facing hardship. She provided compassionate care as a nurse in the newborn nursery, and later went on to develop and lead regional public health initiatives supporting children with special needs. With a stethoscope and notepad at the ready, Harriet spent countless hours on the back roads of northwest Georgia, bringing skilled, steady care through home visits to at-risk new mothers and their infants. She gave of herself freely and without seeking recognition, offering not only clinical expertise but also dignity and hope to families who needed it most.

Harriet found joy in a warm sun and a calm sea breeze. She delighted in her many four-legged companions. But above all, her deepest love and abiding pride were reserved for her two sons. Later in life, she demonstrated that same boundless affection to her four grandchildren. She celebrated each milestone and memory, and relished the opportunity to watch her family grow and flourish.

Harriet is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her brothers, Greg and Scott Mincey, of North Carolina; sons, Paul (Sarah), a cardiologist in Athens, Georgia, Eric (Emily), an optometrist in Oxford, North Carolina; and her beloved grandchildren, Henry, Grady, Elliot, and Norah.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate caregivers at the Duke Hock Family Pavilion for their kindness and extraordinary care. A private family memorial will be held in her honor.