Olive Louise Johnson

Olive Louise McDaniel Johnson, of Hickory, NC, passed away peacefully in her sleep with her family by her side at Catawba Valley Medical Center on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

Olive was born on January 8, 1940, to Morris Larosco McDaniel, Sr., and Evie Louise Nowell McDaniel. She grew up in Fort Valley, GA, surrounded by her loving aunts, uncles, and cousins, and attended Fort Valley High School where she was an excellent student. She attended Mercer University in Macon, GA on a full academic scholarship and was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. After graduating, she married John Kenney Johnson, Sr. on July 22, 1962.

In addition to her parents and her husband of 52 years, she was predeceased by her brothers, Colonel Morris Larosco McDaniel, Jr. (missing in action during the Vietnam War), and John Gordon McDaniel; her close friend, Essie Grass; and her grandson, Corey Zimmermann.

She retired from Lenoir-Rhyne College after 25 years of service in 2002. She enjoyed her work in the Alumni Affairs Office and later Planned Giving. She was a dedicated Sunday School teacher for over 40 years. She loved volunteering for local organizations such as Meals on Wheels, the Hickory Choral Society, and with her church board.

In her spare time, she enjoyed cooking, baking birthday cakes for her family, playing piano, crocheting, and cross-stitching. She loved to travel with her husband to Tybee Island, GA, and the mountains.

Time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren was her most cherished moment. She was so very proud of them and kept up with their accomplishments and activities through social media and the family grapevine.

She is survived by her daughter, Melanie Zimmermann (David) of Hickory, NC; her son, Ken Johnson (Heidi) of West Lafayette, IN; her sister-in-law, Patricia McDaniel; brother-in-law, Jim Johnson (Lisa); close family friends, Clarence and Joyce Pugh; 10 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Olive will be inurned with her husband on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, their 63rd wedding anniversary, at 2 p.m. at Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain, NC. A service is planned in the chapel before the inurnment. A reception will follow.

Instead of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Central Georgia Ronald McDonald House, her sorority’s charity. Donations may be mailed to RMHC Central Georgia, 1160 Forsyth Street, Macon, GA 31201, or online at https://apps.rmhccga.org/donate-now.

Jenkins Funeral Home and Western Carolina Veterans Cemetery are assisting the family with the arrangements.