Obituary of Ernest Johnson

Ernest is survived by his daughter Jamila; sisters Pauline and Sharon; nieces Charlene, Rhonda, Carmen, Shayna and Ania; nephew Hamilton; great nephew Cyrus; his longtime friend Michelle; and his Lift family. Ernest was a long-time resident of the east side of St. Paul. He volunteered with the District Five Planning Council, served on the Board of Directors of the East Side Neighborhood Development Company, and was a founder and Board Vice President at The Lift CDC. He recently retired from Anderson, Niebuhr and Associates in Arden Hills. He was a regular at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival and anywhere else where live jazz was playing. He was a good neighbor, offering rides and assistance to all those around him. Ernest could usually be found hanging out at Rainbow with a Snickers Bar in hand. He left a legacy of deep friendships and set a lasting example of being fully present wherever he was. The east side and the world are better places because of his life.