Mary Jennifer Johnson passed away peacefully on July 20, 2025 in New Smyrna Beach, FL.  She lived her 82 years with gusto and passion.

Born November 8, 1942 in Tom's Creek, a coal mining camp in Southwestern Virginia, Jennifer was a proud daughter of coal miner Frederick Walters Johnson and one-room schoolhouse teacher Virginia Dare Addington Johnson. Death was a collective reality in Tom's Creek and the near-death experiences of her father shaped her ability to cope with life's inevitable vicissitudes. The values of small-town community life (family, neighbors, faith, hope, books, and education) were the bedrock for a transition to Carson-Newman University. In college, Jennifer learned new skills on an award-winning debate team, on successful student government campaigns, and with philosophy and English professors who encouraged and rewarded critical thinking. She had the joy of being named Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities and serving as president of Mortar Board. Graduating with honors, her sights were set on a publishing career in New York City.

One week after graduation, Jennifer boarded the train in St. Paul, VA with $17 in her pocket, and journeyed to New York City.  In her words, she was "a brave little nobody on her way to become somebody!"  She rented a small room at the YWCA and got her first big city job, selling ice cream at the 1964 World's Fair. After just a couple of weeks she landed a position in the business world as proofreader for the National Industrial Conference Board and in only three months she was promoted to Senior Proofreader. Soon after she transitioned to The Macmillan Publishing Company, as reprint editor in the college division. She also moved from her tiny room at the Y to a plush apartment in midtown, right off 5 th Avenue, and later to an apartment in Greenwich Village. She was now a formal member of the publishing world, less than a year after her college graduation and relocation to New York City.

At MacMillan she loved being part of the entire publishing process, from manuscript development to book publishing, working directly with the authors and college professors. Jennifer documented that this position suited her temperament to a "T"; she got to adjust her own work loads and hours, coming and going as she pleased, because, as all of her friends and family can confirm, "I could not stand to be bossed around!"

Life in New York was filled with new friends, an active social life, membership at Riverside Church, plays, concerts and ballets.  Life in NYC "continued to satisfy, intrigue and provide 'some unknown something'" that Jennifer always knew she wanted.  She palled around with the likes of Andy Warhol and The Velvet Underground.  Andy wanted her to be in one of those esoteric Factory films he made in the late 60s, but she was too busy working!

Jennifer continued to accept more responsibilities and increasingly challenging opportunities in the publishing world. Her career included fifteen years at Conde Nast Publications as Managing Editor of The House and Garden Guides and Mademoiselle . She served as a consultant to Glamour and Vanity Fair . In addition to freelance copyediting and indexing for major book publishers, she also held staff positions at The Conference Board, Inc. and Macmillan.

Jennifer was Managing Editor of Redbook for the final eight years of her publishing career, and concurrently was editor-in-chief of Redbook 's Young Mother magazine.  Jennifer was a founder, charter member and past president of Women in Production, supporting women in the publishing world.

During her years in New York, Jennifer fondly remembers the many significant others who shared her journey, loved unconditionally, were magnificent traveling companions, and who also shared the excitement of the off-Broadway stage, Women in Production events, the Equal Rights Amendment passage, Riverside Church, activist marches and bus trips to Washington, DC.

Jennifer's final professional position was serving as the first woman Vice President of Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY. Following her retirement, she returned to New Smyrna Beach, FL to help care for her mother. In New Smyrna she built new friendships and enjoyed poker games, leadership roles in her homeowner's associations, and researching, buying and selling antiques at antique shows throughout the Southeast along with her sister Libby. She enjoyed golf, a good mystery, "grits 'n' glory" cooking for her family, movies, theater, Scrabble and all word games. She maintained faithful and copious correspondences with many friends. She had a special fondness for the spiritual music that had been part of her Appalachian childhood and upbringing.

Memorable events during her retirement years included learning tai chi in her 70's, establishing new friendships, and voting for the first woman candidate for president.

Jennifer's sharp wit, welcoming spirit, passion for politics and human rights, intimate knowledge of current affairs, active involvement in electing qualified political candidates, engaging others in stimulating conversations, and sharing things she found fascinating with those she loved were just a few of the things we all revered about her.

Jennifer was generous as a mentor, tutor and volunteer.  She always believed that kind words, a generous spirit, and hard work were keys to a successful and fulfilling career and life. She was thankful for her family and friends who graced her journey, and who never failed to provide unconditional love, encouragement and support.

Jennifer is survived by her loving sister Libby Chitwood, nephews and nieces Mark Chitwood and Chase Broward, Blue Ridge, GA; Charles Chitwood, Huntsville, AL; Susie and Curt Roberts, St. Petersburg, FL; Scott Chitwood and Carmen Pantoja, Griffin, GA; Heidi Meadows, Huntsville, AL, great-nephews and great-nieces, and many cousins. Jennifer loved and was loved by a host of dear friends.

No formal memorial service is planned. Jennifer's final resting place will be with her parents and family at Temple Hill Memorial Park in Castlewood, VA.

The family would like to express sincere gratitude and appreciation to the physicians, nurses, and caregivers (especially Tangie Oliver and Two Loving Hands) for providing kind, competent and compassionate care.

Memorial donations may be made to one of Jennifer's favorite charities or a charity of your choice in her memory. Websites also have easily-accessible electronic donation forms available.  Jennifer's favorite charities included: Doctors Without Borders (P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741), The Barack Obama Foundation (P.O. Box 779056, Chicago, IL 60677), The Carter Center (453 John Lewis Freedom Pkwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30307), and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (The Dollywood Foundation, C/O Finance Department, 111 E Main Street, 2 nd Floor, Sevierville, TN 37862).