Former Henrico High principal dies

BY LAUREN SHEPHERD
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Throughout her career as a teacher and a principal, Capt. Kenneth Johnson said, his wife kept her students near to her heart.

"She just always had the desire to do it and work with kids," he said. "She was very much a hands-on principal."

Bernadine Victoria McCall Johnson, the former principal of Henrico High School, died Wednesday from cancer and amyloidosis. She was 59.

After graduating from Buffalo State University in Buffalo, N.Y., Mrs. Johnson taught at schools up and down the East Coast, following her Navy husband from military town to military town.

After earning a master's degree in administration and supervision from the University of Virginia, Mrs. Johnson served as principal for a year at Stafford High School in Falmouth in 1979. The post launched her career as a school administrator.

In 1980, she became assistant principal at North Stafford High School in Stafford. After a brief stint as prince at Caroline High School in Milford, she became principal at Henrico in 1986, a position she held for eight years.

Johnson described his wife as a principal "constantly on the move," infused with good cheer and always believing in the success of her students.

"She was always upbeat," he said.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Johnson is survived by a daughter, Monica L. Johnson of Maryland; a son, Kenneth H. Johnson, Jr. of Chicago; her mother, Hattie McCall of Chesterfield; and a sister, Dr. Venitta C. McCall of Spotsylvania.

A memorial service will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. at Garland Avenue Baptist Church.

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This story is from the June 2, 2003 issue of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.