GREENSBORO, N.C. — Yvonne Johnson took one last journey through Greensboro, a city she loved and served deeply, before being laid to rest.
The beloved political trailblazer was honored with a horse-and-carriage procession stretching just over a quarter mile. People said the tribute was a fitting farewell for Greensboro’s first Black mayor.
"We're gaining an ancestor, but on earth, we lost a body that embodied everything, power, motivation, just a sweet and gentle person," said Ingram Bell, a program manager at the Gate City Coalition.
With trombones sounding and loved ones following closely, the horse-drawn carriage carried Yvonne Johnson through the streets she helped shape.
"It's hard. It's like losing another piece of you and especially a voice for our community," Bell said.
"This is a perfect honor for Yvonne, and no matter what is done for it, it will not be enough for what she has meant to this community," said Steven Bowden, a prominent Greensboro attorney.
Bowden worked with Johnson for decades and watched her lead the city. He said her impact on Greensboro is irreplaceable.
"Yvonne was a person who was a healer and worked not only in her nonprofit to try to help people, but she could bridge gaps. That's why she could win elections at large citywide because she could speak to all of these communities and the minority community," Bowden said.
One of the communities Johnson fought for was families impacted by gun violence. She often stood side by side with those families, offering support during their most challenging times, something Bell said he will never forget.
"Her legacy is a fighter and that she speaks for the voiceless and that those of us that are in the fight and still doing this civil work continue to do the work. Our job on earth, as she said, is to be of service, and so we continue to be of service while we're here," Bell said.
Johnson had four children with her late husband Walter (Walter III, Vernon, Lisa and Shannon), and, according to her obituary, "her adoration for her children was only matched by the love for her eight grandchildren." Family friends tell WFMY News 2, Johnson's passion for change has been passed down to her children and grandchildren.
"I think her impact speaks through her children," said Monica Pettiford, friends with Johnson’s daughter. "We have been long time friends and we've seen the respect the intact of their integrity and their character, which to us speaks volumes. And in those ways, we feel like she has shined through in generations to come.”
Many who gathered said Johnson leaves behind a legacy of leadership, love, and shoes too big to fill. But they hope someone, someday, will have the strength to pick up her torch and carry it forward.
RELATED: 'A pillar of this community' | Hundreds celebrate the life of Yvonne Johnson at Bennett College
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