"Give Me One Dozen Roses"
The Story of Amazing Place Participant,
Johnnie Knight
"Music is not just learning notes and playing them. You learn notes to play the music of your soul"- Katie Greenwood
Teena Reese, devoted daughter and primary caregiver to Amazing Place participant, Johnnie Knight, lights up when she shares the story of her mother's musical talent on the piano. Johnnie's story is also laced with a deep love of family, square dancing, camping, playing bridge, numerous civic activities, the Tanglewood Garden Club, and shopping trips with her grandchildren...the music of her soul.
Johnnie was born in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1928. At the age of 14, she took piano lessons for 10 months. After much practice, she played the song "Give Me One Dozen Roses" at her piano recital. Little did she, or anyone else realize that "Give Me One Dozen Roses" would stay etched in her heart and become her life's theme song. World War II broke out and her family moved from Shreveport to Texas, leaving the family piano behind. Once the war was over, her parents moved back to Shreveport while Johnnie stayed in Houston.
Johnnie married the "man of her dreams", Joe Knight, in 1949. She eventually gave birth to her two precious daughters, Teena and Janet. Throughout Johnnie and Joe's marriage she remembered her "Dozen Roses" recital piece and would play it whenever she could find a piano! She also added a rousing rendition of the song "Happy Birthday" to her repertoire.
Johnnie with Joe, the love of her life
While the children were growing up, Johnnie also developed a mastery of the game of bridge and loved to teach bridge to anyone who wanted to learn. She volunteered a lot of her time to the American Museum Society, The Daughters of the American Revolution, The Ladies Reading Club, the Tanglewood Garden Club, and was President of The Realtors Wives. She volunteered in the Prayer Room of her church and was the superintendent of Vacation Bible School. She and Joe got such joy out of square dancing together and were members of two dancing clubs: The Explorers and C-2R. Whenever Johnnie heard music she was ready to dance!
As her daughters grew up, the family enjoyed going on many camping trips in their Apache Camper. They also went to the family farm and rode horses, took care of the cattle, and went blackberry picking. The girls followed in their mother's footsteps and both married wonderful men, and had their own children. Johnnie loved to take the four grandchildren on shopping trips and spend extra special time with each one.
Johnnie's beautiful daughters Janet (left) and Teena (right)
Sadly one day, six years ago, Johnnie's beloved husband, Joe, passed away. She was experiencing much grief because of the loss of the love of her life. Then, three years ago, she and her daughter, Janet, who is now only 56, were both diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Janet, who lives in Fulshear, Texas, also has posterior cortical atrophy, as well as early onset Alzheimer's disease. Her husband, Marlin, and son, Matthew, give her much love and support.
By God’s Grace, Johnnie’s and Janet’s diagnoses of Alzheimer’s did not extinguish Johnnie’s musical spark. Since age fourteen, her piano repertoire had only consisted of TWO songs. Yet two years ago, Johnnie started working on learning Christian songs at her own piano in her home. She wanted her grandchildren to learn some of her favorite songs. Amazingly, with a little practice, she was able to teach herself very quickly. Her own children could not believe it! Last summer, Johnnie picked out seven songs to practice because she wanted to perform a piano recital at Amazing Place. She wanted seven songs because seven is the number most used in the Bible and represents perfection. The songs she chose for her recital were: "What A Friend We Have In Jesus", "Christ Arose", "Where He Leads Me I Will Follow", "Standing on the Promises of Jesus, My King", "He Lives", and "God Bless America".
Johnnie was thrilled when Amazing Place added her recital on their calendar! During her performance there were many tear-filled eyes. Her daughter and primary caregiver, Teena, said " Mother did an outstanding job and she did not make one single mistake!" At the recital, her daughters and sons-in-law requested that she play her life's theme song "Give Me One Dozen Roses". After Johnnie, played her song, everyone applauded and her loved ones presented her a bouquet of a dozen, yellow roses.
Her recital further opened the door to her generous, joy-giving talent and her Amazing Place family and loved ones still applaud the delightful gift of Johnnie Knight’s music of the soul.
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