Winnifred Johnson Moyer

Mrs. Winnifred Johnson Moyer, resident of Givens Estate Retirement Community, passed away on Monday, December 29th, 2025, following an extended illness at the Givens Estate Nursing Center.

Mrs. Moyer, Winnie to her friends, was a person of creativity, sharing and loyalty to her friends and family, with a career as a teacher in several Virginia school systems, including Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Fairfax, and Newport News Schools before retiring.

Her creativity ranged from making items for the church bazaar and helping to lead the effort, painting wood items that my dad would make for our Christmas decorations (plywood lawn figures, small shelf sitters and many other items), and a joy for collecting glass medicine bottles for her curio cabinet.

Winnie was a teacher of middle school students for 21 years in Newport News, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake: not always the easiest age to work with, but she relished a challenge. Many times we would go out in later years and run into one of her students, who always ran up shouting "Miz Moyer, Miz Moyer" and she would enjoy the encounter.

To the three kids, she was our mom, and always had time to help with any situation, or listen to us. She's often told us that she raised 3 smart asses, but always laughed along with whatever we said. My dad acknowledged that this was the joy of our family: always being able to laugh together and say whatever came to mind. It was a freedom that we enjoyed.

Winnie and her husband, Abe, were married for 72 years and met in college at Emory and Henry College (now University) in Emory, Virginia, and married in June 1953. The Moyer's family of Abe, Winnie, their daughter Pamela, son Michael (Mike), and son David (deceased), served in several parishes throughout Virginia, including Waynesboro, Woodbridge, Emporia, Stanleytown, Community-Virginia Beach, Bruen Chapel-Vienna, Morrison-Newport News, Poquoson-Tabernacle, Great Bridge, and Central-Staunton.

Winnie was the third child of Levern and Edna Johnson, and preceded in death by her parents, her sister Vivian, her brother Donald, and son, David.

Winnie is survived by her daughter Pam of Gastonia NC; son Mike and his wife, Priscilla of Asheville, NC; David's wife, Gail Moyer of Hertford, NC; grandsons Drew Moyer of Hertford NC, Davis Moyer and his wife, Lindsay of Suffolk, VA; niece Pat Yount and her husband, Mark of Lilburn, GA; niece Vrla Leach and her husband, Fred of Staunton VA; nephew George Moyer of Barboursville, VA; great-nephews Ashley Leach and his family of Staunton VA, and Andrew Leach, and great-niece Tracy Leigh Wills and her family of Franklin NC, and many friends from many places.

The family is filled with gladness that Winnie and Abe are together again in Heaven, after passing away within a short period of time at Christmas.

Services for a joint Celebration of Life for Abe and Winnie Moyer will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026 at First United Methodist Church in Gastonia, North Carolina, at 11 AM, with a visitation in the Gathering Space, following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be given in Abe and Winnie's honor to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation-Craggy Gardens Renovation Fund. Abe and Winnie spent their honeymoon travelling the parkway, and many family trips throughout the years exploring the Parkway.

HTTPS://www.brpfoundation.org/donate. You can choose Craggy Gardens and other locations under the "Please Use My Gift For" on the Donate page.