Johnnie Masengill Greenwood

JOHNNIE MASSENGILL GREENWOOD

September 3, 1926 to December 2, 2022

Johnnie was born in Knoxville, Tennessee to the late Frank Massengill and Gertrude Dunn Massengill.  She was preceded in death by her husband of 74 years, Leonard Greenwood of Winter Haven, Florida, her sisters, Alberta Wilshire of Atlanta, Georgia, and Polly Cannatser of West Covina, California, as well as her brothers, J. B. Massengill of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Herbert Massengill of Fitchburg, Massachusetts.  One surviving brother, Gordon Massengill, still resides in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Johnnie graduated from Young High School, Knoxville in 1945 and began working for Southern Bell Telephone Company as a messenger, eventually moving on to being a long-distance telephone operator.

In 1946 she met a tall, handsome, World War II Navy veteran, Leonard David Greenwood.  They married in 1947 while Leonard was a college student.  A son, David was born in 1949. Upon Leonard’s graduation from North Carolina State University, they moved to La Belle, Florida in 1952.  A daughter, Rhonda, was born in 1952.  In 1954 the family moved to Frostproof, Florida.  Frostproof was home until 2015, when Winter Haven became the final residence.

Johnnie attended the First United Methodist Church in Frostproof and was a member of Circle Mary, sang in the choir, and served on the Board of Trustees.  For several years she helped make heart pillows at the Baptist church, for heart patients.  She was a member of the American Rose Society and was encouraged and given much help by daughter Rhonda, who was a Rosarian.  Johnnie’s ambition was to receive “Queen of the Show” in a blind judging at a Rose Society event.  This she did achieve at an event in West Palm Beach with a white rose named “Snow Bride”. Her roses were mostly miniature.

After retirement Johnnie and Leonard traveled, with trips to England, Scotland, Wales, France, Mexico, Canada, Holland, and extensively in the Caribbean.  Aruba was a favorite destination and there was hardly a place in the USA that they didn’t visit.

She is survived by her son, David, his wife Barbara German Greenwood, of Orlando, Florida and Rhonda Ramey and her husband Richard of Columbus, Georgia.  There are two grandchildren, Michael David Greenwood and his wife Karen Knighten Greenwood of Ocoee and Beth Vinci and her husband John of Orlando.  Additionally, there are four great grandchildren, Brendan and Miles Greenwood of Ocoee and Johnny and Claire Vinci of Orlando.