Nela Veles Johnson

Nela Veles Johnson, born May 27, 1939 in Oakland, California at Merritt Hospital to Nelson Richard Gaines and Ella Mae Willis, entered eternal rest on June 2, 2026, in Pleasanton, at age 87. Raised by her grandmother Elizabeth Carter Willis and cherished from an early age, she grew into a spirited, independent young woman with confidence built on love. She completed her education in Oakland before graduating from Susan Miller Dorsey High School in Los Angeles in 1957, demonstrating responsibility, generosity, and a deep desire to care for others throughout her youth.

Throughout her working years, Nela approached every job with dignity and pride—serving as a personal cook, domestic staff member, fitness gym manager, quality control worker at Del Monte cannery in Emeryville, public school bus driver in Hayward for over a decade, and finally retiring after 17 years as a cook for the Oakland Unified School District. Her service included 14 years at Westlake Junior High School and 3 years at Jefferson Child Center. No matter the position, she gave her best and honored God through her dedicated labor, believing in honest work that strengthened family, community, and employers alike.

Above all, Nela considered her family her highest calling—a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend who was gifted in providing hospitality those she cared about. She excelled in the kitchen, where cooking became an expression of love, passing down treasured recipes and making Thanksgiving a celebration of gathering and gratitude. Known for her warm humor, nonjudgmental spirit, and genuine listening ear, she offered wisdom freely and made everyone feel seen. Her legacy of faith, service, joyful resilience, and enduring love remains a comfort and inspiration to all who knew her.

As Maya Angelou so beautifully wrote, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Nela made people feel loved, supported, and at home. She had a gift for making others feel seen, valued, and welcome.
Nela was also deeply involved in civic and fraternal organizations. She spent more than 47 years as a member of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California, Free and Accepted Masons family, where she was highly active and held many respected positions. Her service included Past Worthy Matron in Rebecca Chapter #56 Order of the Eastern Star, Past Commandress of Menelik Court, Daughters of the Imperial Court, twice Past Most Ancient Matron in Golden Gate Court #4 Heroines of Jericho, Past Loyal Lady Ruler of Victoria Assembly #25, The Order of the Golden Circle, charter member and Past Princess Captain of St. Bernard Guild #4 Heroines of the Templar Crusades, and Royal Matron and charter member of Lydia #2 Ladies of the Circle of Perfection. Her dedication to fellowship and leadership were reflected in her long commitment to these organizations.

A woman of steadfast faith, Nela spent decades actively involved in the church. She gave of herself and lead as church mother, church recorder, treasurer, and Deaconess Board President. She was always willing to lend a helping hand wherever needed, and she lived in a way that reflected the Christian values she held dear. Her faith was not only spoken, but lived. She trusted the Lord in times of joy and in times of sorrow, and her life stood as a testimony to the sustaining power of God’s grace.
As Scripture reminds us in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Nela Johnson truly lived a life that reflected that holy promise. Though she has gone home to be with the Lord, the example she set and the love she gave will continue to live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her.

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