Mary Emily "Wright" Johnson

Sumter, SC… Mary Emily Wright Johnson, age 79, beloved wife of 41 years to Huey "Boots" Eugene Johnson, passed away on Friday, February 13, 2026, at Prisma Health Richland Hospital.

Born in Laurens, South Carolina, Mary Emily was the daughter of the late Edward E. Wright Jr. and Margaret Emily Burns Wright. She graduated from high school in Chambly, Georgia, and received her degree in Education from the University of Tennessee, where she was a proud member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. Mary Emily was a devoted military wife who supported her husband through many relocations, both domestically and internationally. She was a dedicated teacher for over 28 years, leaving a lasting impact on countless students in both America and abroad.

A woman of faith, Mary Emily attended First Baptist Church and was known for her deep love of family. She found joy in sewing, baking, garage sales, and thrifting. Along with her husband, Boots, Mary Emily enjoyed traveling across the United States and three trips to Alaska. In her quieter moments, she enjoyed reading mysteries and romance novels.

Mary Emily will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend. She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

In addition to her husband, left behind to cherish her memory are her sons, David Wright Durham and his wife Stefanie of Sumter, SC, Corey Allen Johnson and his wife Nora of Indialantic, FL; her daughter, Lisa Durham Phillips and her husband Brian of Blairsville, GA; her sister, Leah Wright Burton of Sumter, SC; her grandchildren, Sarah Emily Durham, Autumn Pringle and her husband Nick, Hunter Phillips and his fiancé Samantha Swizdor, Rainey Phillips, London Phillips and his fiancé Lacey Towe, Skylar Phillips, Kurstin Hernandez and her husband Jay, Eli Addington and Elaine Addington; great-grandchildren, Maverick Pringle and Jameson Phillips, her nephew William Hassell Burton IV, and her faithful companions and beloved dogs, Misty and Bandit.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her stepdaughter, Vickie Phelps.

The family will receive friends, one hour prior to service, from 10:30-11:30 am on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at Bullock Funeral Home.

A funeral service will be held at the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 11:30 am with Rev. G. Marion Ziegler officiating. A private family interment will follow the service at Sumter Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 5000 Thurman Mall Drive, Columbia, SC 29201, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, 332 North Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38105-2479, or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, at www.t2t.org.

You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family's guest book.

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.