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PIANO PLAYER REMEMBERED

By Nicole Brown /OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 11:59 PM CDT

For more than 60 years, Leon G. Johnson said he had the pleasure of listening to “some real nice piano-playing.”

Ladoska Johnson

The piano-playing he spoke of was that of his wife, Ladoska Jean Langrell Johnson. She died Friday at the age of 81.

“When I first met her she had such a good personality and I fell in love with her personality,” Johnson said.

He said that it was while he was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and she was the manager of a music store, that they went on their first date.

“I remember going to the house and asking if Jean was there and I could hear someone playing the piano inside. I could not believe someone could play the piano so beautifully,” he recalled.

Born Jan. 11, 1928, at England, a daughter of the late Troy and Flaura Ward Langrell, she was reared and educated in Lonoke County and graduated from England High School in 1945.

Johnson played the piano and organ throughout her life, having played in small bands and at local church services.

Joan Kenward, Johnson’s friend of 45 years, said for about 20 or 25 years, she and Johnson sang in a trio.

“She always played the piano. At one time we went to the same church. We always enjoyed playing and singing together,” Kenward said.

Kenward said they played at a number of churches in the Pine Bluff area including Victory, Maranatha and Northside Baptist churches. She also recalled other activities they enjoyed together including knitting and crocheting.

“We were both students of the Bible, we studied the Bible together and she was very well-versed in that. We used to sing at nursing homes and other places but always in church,” Kenward said.

“Her brother said at the funeral that Jean was happiest when sitting at her piano. And yes, the happiest times of our lives were when we were sitting and playing together.”

According to family and friends, many that came in contact with Johnson were touched by her ability to “tickle the ivories.”

Mandi Mason said in a post on the Web site of Fuller Hale-South Funeral Services that “her piano playing initiated the spirit of God to move in many worship services around the area. As a teenager, she gave advice that only a Godly lady could give. Can you imagine her piano playing now? It was beautiful before, but now angelic.”

Funeral services were held Tuesday at Fuller Hale-South Funeral Services.

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