Lauri Johnson Wynn
Final respects were held for Lauri Johnson Wynn, who passed on Dec. 18, 2013 at the age of 83.
The Homegoing Celebration was officiated by Bishop Sedgwick Daniels at Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God In Christ at 3500 W. Mother Daniels Way on Friday, Dec. 27, 2013.
Wynn was born on August 7, 1930 in Harlem, NY.
She was the only child born to Wilfred and Helen Garner Johnson.
After losing her father as an infant, her mother and grandparents, Rev. Alexander and Laura Maynard Garner raised her.
As a teenager, she moved to Chicago under the care of her paternal Aunt Mildred Tucker and maternal Aunt Portia Ward.
During this time her mother lived in California as a nanny.
She attended Englewood High School in Chicago and graduated in 1948 with high marks.
She attended her first year of college at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
She later transferred to Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.
She continued to achieve success and became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
She met Thomas H. Wynn, Sr. while in college, and they married soon after graduating.
He served in the United States Army and they were stationed in Alaska, where their first child was born, Cynthia. Soon after, Thomas was discharged and he joined her back in Chicago, where she was living with her aunts.
While in Chicago four more children were born, and later Lauri began her work as a public school teacher and worked there for nine years.
In 1965, the family moved to Milwaukee, and she began working in the Milwaukee Public School System as a teacher. Her first day of work happened to be the beginning of the school boycott.
She immediately became active with school desegregation, the civil rights movement and worked hard to raise and train her children.
In the 70’s she was elected to the Presidency of Wisconsin Education Association Council, making history as the first Black and first woman in the position.
She was later elected to the National Education Association Executive Committee for two terms.
She furthered her education by obtaining a master’s degree from Lewis National University in Evanston, IL.
She also attended UW Milwaukee and took advanced studies at Chicago University.
In the 80’s, she was active in political causes, and even served as a policy advisor for Wisconsin Governor Tony Earl from 1982-1986.
She remained active through the years in numerous community based organizations that helped to better the Black community.
She was recognized in November by the Community Brainstorming Organization, an organization that she helped to form.
She leaves behind five children, Cynthia D. Wynn, Thomas H. Wynn, Jr. (Gail), Spencer Y. Wynn, Hillary Wynn (Mark Beavers) and Worthington Aaron Wynn; and 13 grandchildren.
Her parents, grandparents and husband preceded her in death.