Edith Holt Johnson, 91, avid traveler and matriarch

NOW THIS IS the way to travel!

When the Johnsons returned from one trip - and it might have been anywhere from Alaska to Africa - they mapped out the next excursion.

Edith Holt Johnson and her husband, Arthur L. Johnson, seemed always to be on the go, traveling with their friends, Cecil and Lytha Willis, whom they described as their "running partners."

Edith Johnson, who was a devoted and hardworking employee of a supermarket and meatpacking company, a dedicated churchwoman and loving matriarch, died Sept. 5 after a brief illness. She was 91 and lived in Germantown.

"Arthur and Edith were quite the couple," her family said. "Their friendship, love and teamwork endured the joys and sorrows of 43 wonderful years of matrimony."

When Arthur died on Sept. 7, 1987, Edith was devastated.

She filled her years without him with work for her church, Holy Cross Lutheran, of which she was a founding member, and the Center in the Park, having fun with the elderly.

If you were a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, you had to expect a phone call from Edith to participate in its latest fundraiser.

"When Holy Cross had a fundraiser, Edith would call to report how many tickets she reserved in your honor," her family said. "Payment was due immediately!"

Edith Octavia Holt was born in Richmond, Va., the first of the three daughters of Earl Fisher and Mary Morton Holt. She graduated from Armstrong High School in Richmond in 1941. She later attended secretarial school to hone her skills as a typist and stenographer.

She married Arthur Johnson in 1945. They moved to Philadelphia in 1951 and settled in Germantown.

"Edith was a traditional mother and wife who kept an immaculate home," her family said. "Both she and Arthur were excellent cooks. Her dishes and baked goods were made from scratch and her homemade rolls kept neighbors at the front door.

"Their home at 6326 Musgrave St. was dubbed 'the Good-Time House,' because the Johnsons were a loving and hospitable couple."

Edith was employed by the Penn Fruit Co. for several years before becoming a scaler for the Hygrade Meat Packing Co. She retired after nearly 30 years of service.

When she helped found Holy Cross Lutheran Church in the mid-'50s, it met in the home of the pastor, the Rev. Othneil R. Thompson. It later moved to 500 E. Mount Pleasant Ave.

Edith was treasurer of the Dorcas Guild, and played a pivotal role in the early mortgage burning on the new building.

The Johnsons' travels included the Caribbean islands, Spain, Belgium, France, Hawaii, Africa, Alaska, England, Brazil and Italy, including Vatican City.

"Edith was a comical, strong and forthright person," her family said. "Her authenticity was transparent and her style was feisty."

She is survived by a daughter, Beverly Marlin; two sons, Arthur L. Johnson Jr. and Brandon Johnson; stepchildren, Walter Marlin, Flora Williams Johnson and Icilda Johnson; a sister, Ethel Virginia Washington, 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Services: 11 a.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 500 E. Mount Pleasant Ave. Friends may call at 9 a.m.