"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26

Rev. Veronica Kay Johnson Pritchard, 65 of Coila, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at her home surrounded by her loving family.

Veronica was born April 18, 1959 in Pontiac, IL to Lester Charles Johnson and Dorothy Rose Power Johnson.  She is the twelfth of fourteen  children. She graduated from Odell High School, Odell, IL. To prepare her for her 34 years of ministry, she enrolled at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL; Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA; St. Paul Theological Seminary, Legwood, KS; St. Paul Theological Center, Jackson, MS. One of her greatest joys was being ordained an Elder (Minister) during the MS-WTN annual conference of the Global Methodist Church on January 26, 2024.

Everyone who knew Veronica knew of her love of God by her ministry and passion for missions. Veronica has officially served the Lord since 1990 in the following churches: Youth Director and Pastor, Gonzales UMC, Gonzales, LA; Associate Pastor at Alexandria UMC, Alexandria, LA; Youth and Associate Pastor at St. John's UMC, Greenwood, MS; Pastor at Moorhead UMC, Moorhead, MS; Pastor at Sunflower UMC, Sunflower, MS.

In 2008, she and her loving husband, David of 45 years, moved from St. Amant, Louisiana to Coila, Mississippi where she founded and became Executive Director of Delta Grace in Sunflower, MS in 2013. She chose Isaiah 6:8 as the mission verse for the organization: "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, Here am I.  Send me!" The first team of missioners to serve at Delta Grace was January 2014.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Lester and Dorothy Johnson; father-in-law, William Pritchard, 4 sisters and 3 brothers.

Veronica is survived by her loving husband David, Coila, MS; daughters Kathrine Weeks (Dallas), Elm Grove, LA; Melissa Enis (Jeremy), Shreveport, LA; grandchildren Daniel Enis, Julia Enis, David Weeks, Emma Weeks; mother-in-law Rosalie Pritchard, San Clemente, CA; 3 sisters and 3 brothers, many nieces and nephews. In her words, "I love the Lord and I am blessed with the best husband, daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren."

A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, June 8, 2024, at 11:30 AM, at Sunflower Methodist Church in Sunflower, MS.  Burton Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. Veronica requested in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her memory to Delta Grace, PO Box 218, Sunflower, MS 38778.