Margaret Estes Johnson

Margaret Estes Johnson, a retired clinical psychologist and lawyer, she died at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, July 11, 2005, at her home, surrounded by her family, after a courageous yearlong battle with cancer. She was 59. She was born in New Orleans, LA and lived most of her life in Baton Rouge, LA. She is survived by her husband of 35 years, Alston Johnson; by her four children, Ryan and his wife, Amy; Tanner; Susanne and Mason; by her two beloved grandchildren, Stafford Alan Johnson and Claire Ellen Johnson; and by her twin sister, Rosemary Estes. She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto P. Estes and Inez C. Estes. Margaret completed her undergraduate work at Louisiana Tech in only three years, graduating magna cum laude in 1966. She received her law degree from Louisiana State University in 1969 where she was one of a very small number of women in the class at the time, and was admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana in October, 1969. She was a semi-finalist in the Moot Court competition there as well as a member of the Moot Court Board and received the award for the best appellate brief in the program. She earned an M.B.A. degree in International Business from the University of Alabama in 1972. During the years from 1973 to 1979 when three of her four children were born, she received her M.A. degree in Developmental Psychology from Louisiana State University in 1975 and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Louisiana State University in 1980. She practiced clinical psychology in Baton Rouge from 1980 until her retirement from the practice in 2001. She used her legal and psychological skills in many ways. She practiced law in Shreveport for a short period of time from 1971 to 1972, and during that period of time she was also Assistant Professor of Business Law at Louisiana Tech University. She served as a staff psychologist at the LSU Mental Health Service from 1978 to 1982. She gave numerous seminars and presentations on topics as varied as stress management, adolescent suicide and the psychology and selection of juries. She served her community well, as a member and then president of the Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center Board (The Phone); as a member of the board of directors of Blundon Home, a local orphanage; as a member of the advisory board of the Louisiana State University School of Social Work; and as a member of a very early advisory committee for the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge on its policy for dealing with sexual abuse by religious and clergy misconduct. Visitation will take place at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government Street, Baton Rouge, LA from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, 2005. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Aloysius Catholic Church , 2025 Stuart Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA on Thursday, July 14, at 10:30 a.m. Graveside Service will follow at Roselawn Cemetery, 4045 N. Street, Baton Rouge, LA. The family wishes to thank all of her friends for their care and thoughtfulness during her struggle, and in particular our special friend, Ann Russo, an angel on earth, ministering to her through this long fight. She was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother. After her retirement, she became the master carpenter she had always wanted to be. We will miss her terribly-her intelligence, her wit, her courage. She taught us all so much. As was said of her Grandmother Estes almost a century ago, she numbered her friends by her acquaintances. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who wish to do so might make a contribution in her memory to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Baton Rouge, LA.