Mattye Wilma Wallace was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on February 14, 1926, to the late Mose and Larcenia (Walker) Wallace. To this union, four children were born. She was the second child and the only girl.
Mattye grew up in Tuscaloosa and graduated from Industrial High School. She attended Bethel Baptist Church, where she accepted Christ at an early age.
After high school, she attended Nursing School in Birmingham, Alabama, where she received her nursing training; she received her clinical rotations training at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Upon graduating and passing the Board of Nursing Examination, she was hired at Fort Benning Army Hospital in Columbus, GA. It was while at Fort Benning, she met her husband, Earl D. Johnson. They were married on December 15, 1949.

Mattye moved with her husband to Akron, Ohio, where they later called home. She was employed at Akron General Hospital for years. It was here she received training in Occupational Health and became the first Black RN certified as an Occupational Health Nurse by the State of Ohio. She was later employed by the BF Goodrich Company as an Occupational Health Nurse. She retired from BF Goodrich at the age of 63 and continued to do per diem at several medical centers in the Akron and Brecksville areas.

Mattye was a devoted and long-time member of Greater Bethel Baptist Church, where she served under the late Pastor Humphrey, Pastor Hawkins, Pastor Shepherd, and Pastor Elliott. Until her illness and death, she faithfully attended and served under the current Pastor of Greater Bethel Baptist Church, Dr. Booker J. Person.

Mattye traveled to Africa, England, and all over the United States of America, with the International Society of Hypertension in Blacks (ISHIB), and with the National Black Nurses Association until 2018. She also was a lifetime member of the NAACP. She finally surrendered her nursing license and driver’s license in 2018. On her 95th Birthday, the Bruton Clan of Cousins presented her with a special tribute, via zoom of her life in honor of Black History Month.

By the grace and mercy of God, she lived a good, long, and prosperous life until she became ill in 2019. She was eventually moved to Brookdale Bath Senior Living Facility. She took her last breath and went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Earl Wallace, John Wesley Wallace, and Glenn Wallace; and her husband of 40 years, Earl D. Johnson.

She leaves to cherish her memory her daughter, Gwendolyn (aka Gwen) Leffall of Fresno, CA; special thanks for the love and care of her devoted nieces, Harriet Montgomery, Akron, OH, and Jacqueline (Ronald) Jackson, Akron, OH; two grandsons, Jacques’ (Racey) Leffall, Fresno, CA, and Brisson L. Leffall of San Francisco, CA; five great-grandchildren; special friends, Jerry Bennett, Sammy and Gerry Traylor, Ophelia Avierette, Edee Broaddus, and Sheila James as well as a host of other nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.