Johnie Varnado

Johnie Mae Varnado, 73, a well-known and highly regarded business and civic leader, has been called home.

Visitation/viewing will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, February 8th,immediately followed by special service beginning at 11 a.m. at St. Matthew Baptist Church of Boyce. Senior Pastor Frank Jackson will be officiating. Although she and her family had made central LA their second home for over thirty-three years, Johnie never forgot her roots, describing herself often as “just a little girl from the clay hills of Summit, Mississippi.” A second celebration of her life will take place on Saturday February 9th at Mt. Olive Baptist Church and internment Algiers Cemetery in McComb, MS.

Mrs. Varnado is survived by her husband, Harold, of 54 years; two daughters, Elizabeth Karen Denise James (Vincent) and Angela Suzette Varnado; grandchildren Krista Eve Diamon Varnado, Jessica Maria Tanner (Kevrick), Adam Vincent James, and Grace Elizabeth James; great granddaughter Jade Elizabeth Tanner; sisters Lucy Ann Woods and Detra McGhee; brothersIvy Lee Woods, Dennis L. McGee, Davele McGee; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. 

Johnie graduated from Burguland High School of McComb, MSin the top ten percent of her class and, later, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in business administration. She was also a graduate of Leadership Louisiana under the auspices of Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL). 

She started her own business, KaZette Enterprises, Inc. (KEI), in Alexandria in 1986 selling and repairing computers. Currently in its 32nd year of continuous operation, KEI has been successful in diversifying to also include consulting services for organizations wanting to increase their profits and/or productivity and management of federal and state funded programs that provide technical assistance to small businesses and non-profit organizations.

Her list of accomplishments is long and the impact she made on others is positive. She was the first African-American president  of the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce; co-founder of Ministers of Economic Development of Central LA (MOED); instrumental in helping to secure grant funding for what became the Central LA Business Incubator.; founder and past chair & president of the Central Louisiana Business League; lifetime member of the National Business League; past president and commissioner of the Alexandria Regional Port Authority; a longtime member of the board of directors of CHRISTUS Health Central LA, which includes St. Frances Cabrini Hospital; member of the  Rotary Club of Alexandria; and member of North Rapides Business and Industry Alliance (NRBIA). Prior to her illness she was still serving as administrator of the LA Department of Economic Development’s Small and Emerging Business Development (SEBD) Program for both the City of Alexandria and MOED;through this endeavor she assisted many small businesses.  

Just prior to her death she was still serving as administrator of the LA Department of Economic Development’s Small and Emerging Business Development (SEBD) Program for both the City of Alexandria and MOED; through this endeavor she assisted many small businesses. She received numerous public awards and personal accolades for her community work in which she combined a high level of competence and humanitarian caring for others. 

The Varnado Family has entrusted their loved one to the care of Gonzaque-Williams Mortuary. Please click on the link www.gwmortuary.com for complete funeral service information and special request(s).

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Johnie Varnado, please visit our floral store.