Georgetta May Johnston

Georgetta May "Gigi" Johnston, 59, formerly of Newfield, NY, was born to William and Roseanna (nee Kouf) Johnston in Ithaca, NY on April 22, 1967. Gigi left her body in Charlottesville, VA after a battle with metastatic colon cancer that was diagnosed in May upon her return from a mission trip to Cyprus and Israel; she spent her last birthday in Jerusalem. She is now Home, in the arms of her Beloved Lord, worshipping in the realms of heavenly glory, which she so often sought while on earth. Her best friend was at her bedside when she passed, and the team that God had assembled to take care of her in her last months were near at hand.

Gigi grew up in the musical Johnston family and developed talents in the performing arts from a young age, including baton twirling, dancing, singing, piano, guitar, & percussion. She played drums in a band in high school and was looking to study music at Ithaca College.

After a dramatic car accident at age 19, she was pronounced dead on the scene but was visited by what she later believed were angels while in a coma, and given a sense of purpose for her life. She miraculously recovered, danced in a national competition in Las Vegas and enlisted in the military, where she served 3 years in the army band, and was a squad leader.

While there, she was invited to church and had a powerful encounter with the love of God through the song "Amazing Grace," and turned her life over to Jesus. Filled with Holy Spirit, she became a passionate evangelist for souls, sharing with her message of new life. 1 Corinthians 13 was an important passage for her as she trained in her "love walk" as an example to others. She developed a heart to mentor young adults in the word of God and music and served as a youth minister in the Ithaca area. She also served on the worship team at New Life Victory Center, an "anointed drummer extraordinaire."

Gigi worked various jobs including fast food restaurant manager, a real estate office, retail, school bus driver and a security guard at Ithaca High School, until she felt a call of God to quit her job there and "follow Me, step by step." This new faith journey required leaning on Holy Spirit with deeper listening, surrender, and obedience to be an available vessel. It led her into intense prayer burdens for hurting children in other parts of the world and to places such as Juarez, Mexico at times of heightened gang violence, or to Israel during war time. She met these potentially dangerous assignments with courage and resolve. Her work often included bringing encouragement to weary leaders or releasing the "sounds of heaven" in music to push back spiritual darkness. She thought like a leader and could see from above things that God wanted to do in situations to bring change.

"High praise" and "deep worship" were repeated themes of her life, and she was zealous to guard her eyes, ears, and mind from influences that would contaminate the heavenly flow. She could be seen spinning with loud expressive "Hallelujahs" or lying prostrate on the floor in group worship settings. Her raucous style drew some and repelled others, revealing hearts. She more often stood out than fit in. "Mystic" is probably an appropriate term for her, as she sought to understand and experience her ecstatic union with Jesus. Gigi was hungry for the glory presence of God and an avid learner and studier of the things of God, reading, taking copious notes and attending internships and trainings with various prophetic ministries. She had a childlike eagerness and a reverent submission both at once. She was greatly influenced by Ruth Heflin and served a few years on staff at Calvary Pentecostal Tabernacle, returning regularly to that ministry through the years.

Gigi intensely desired to see the supernatural realities of the kingdom of heaven be expressed in the earth, believing for divine healing and did see it manifest on multiple occasions, including through her own hands. She wanted people in countries she visited in Africa, such as Uganda, and elsewhere to experience the power of God directly, and she felt a conviction to believe for the kind of healing that they relied on, without access to the same kind of medical care available in the U.S. This influenced her personal practices around medical care.

Once, a rottweiler locked onto her forearm and she was not expected to be able to drum again, but she yelled "JESUS!!!" and that evening was drumming in a concert for Godspeed, a gospel band that played regionally. The U-shaped scar remained on her arm till the end of her life. In 2015 she was told by doctors that she would need a walker for the rest of her life. She wasn't having it and walked without it until 2026. At another time, God gave her faith to believe for perfect vision, and she had the driver's licenses as evidence of the reversal of her need for glasses in order to pass the test. She hated cancer and said, "I'm not going down this way." It was easy to believe she would be raised up again like before.

She had so much more she wanted to do. She was learning how to be a diligent steward of the finances entrusted to her through her inheritance, studying real estate and gaining knowledge to increase her portfolio in the stock market, partnering with God and her financial manager. Gigi was a woman of great vision, massive vision beyond this lifetime. She had composed many songs to record into an album. She envisioned worship centers in multiple locations, Spirit-led orchestras and bands playing musical instruments not yet seen on earth. She "saw" two planes, a large one and a small one, a recording studio, creative worshipers bringing forth "new song." She was longing for her "efficient and effective" community. Her life touched many people as she continued to reach beyond and search for her base, a mysterious, circuitous journey.

All along the way, she cultivated intimacy with God in praise and worship. There was almost always a song or rhythm playing in her spirit, she said. She was praising the Lord with new melodies and rhythms until she could no longer speak; her last recorded word three days before she passed was "Hallelujah".

She was challenged in certain kinds of communications. It must have been lonely. But those who did draw near could catch a drink of the living waters that flowed like a river out of her close communion with God, and experience healing love from her heart of deep compassion forged in suffering. An over-the-top encourager to many, she was a natural coach who pulled out the gifts in others. She prayed for years for a covenant friend, and God provided Holly ("Grace") for the last 16 years. They went on lots of creative adventures together, co-creating in prayer, music, dance and travel to D.C. and elsewhere, helping each other to grow and be formed into the image of Christ.

Gigi loved her family and cared for her parents as they aged. The big prayer of her heart was for them all to know the love, joy, and peace she had found in Jesus.

Anyone who has received a hug from Gigi has gotten a taste of a hug from God. Her laugh was irrepressible. The joy was real.

Gigi is survived by her brother, Kearney (Annie) Johnston of Newfield, NY, her nephews & niece, Dustin Johnston of Candor, NY, Alexander & Jessica Johnston, both of Newfield, NY, aunts Sandra June (Kouf) Lagasse of Newfield, NY, Joanne Johnston of Boonville, NY, two great-nieces, Ahrianna & Braelynn Johnston of Newark Valley, and several cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, and several uncles & aunts.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday August 29th at 1:30pmHis Tabernacle Ithaca609 W. Clinton St. Ithaca, NY 14850

Anyone wishing to donate to a charity in Gigi's honor: Tapestries of Life: https://tapestriesoflifeministries.org