Nykeria Laniya Johnson

In Loving Memory of Nykeria Laniya “Keri” Johnson

It is with hearts unimaginably heavy that we share the passing of our beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, and friend, Nykeria Laniya Johnson, affectionately known as Keri. At just 18 years old, Keri was called home following a tragic accident in Waynesboro, Georgia, on Saturday, May 23, 2026. Born on January 25, 2008 in Swainsboro, Georgia to Tahara and David Johnson, Keri’s life was a radiant beam of kindness and possibility, a light that warmed every room and every soul she touched.

Keri was a devoted member of the St. Philip Missionary Baptist Church of Swainsboro, Georgia, where she worshiped with humility and gratitude and where her quiet faith guided the way she loved and served others.

Keri was a recent graduate of Swainsboro High School, Class of 2026, where she carried herself with quiet strength and a gentle smile. Though naturally a little shy, she had a playful spirit and an easy laugh that blossomed among those she trusted and loved. She found joy in simple, meaningful things, curling up with a good book, sketching scenes from her imagination, trying out new recipes in the kitchen, and dancing when no one was watching and sometimes when they were. Cooking was her love language. She delighted in experimenting alongside her siblings, learning treasured family recipes from her mother, and serving up meals that tasted like home.

Keri’s heart was as generous as it was brave. Always willing to help others, she lifted people in quiet ways, through listening without judgment, lending a hand without being asked, and offering grace without expecting anything in return. She dreamed of a life devoted to service. She planned to attend Fort Valley State University to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and later to serve her country in the military. Even in her youth, she embodied the devotion and courage that define both a nurse and a soldier, tenderness paired with resolve, compassion guided by purpose.

Keri is cherished beyond words by her parents, Tahara Johnson and David Johnson, her three sisters, Danielle Johnson, Mckenzie Johnson, and Delilah Batts, and her brother, Cameron Tarver. She is deeply loved by her grandmother, Rose Scott, and is welcomed in eternity by her grandmother, Dollie Gardner, and her uncle, Robert Johnson, who preceded her in death. She is also lovingly remembered by her aunts, Tayonna Scott and Starkelia Scott, her uncles, Quientaz Scott, Brandon Gardner, and Travis Smith, and a host of great aunts, great uncles, cousins, classmates, mentors, and friends whose lives are brighter because of her.

Those who knew Keri will remember her as a beautiful soul with a loving heart, steady, thoughtful, and true. She was the friend who checked in, the sister who showed up, the daughter who listened, the granddaughter who honored traditions while dreaming boldly of what could be. Her legacy lives in every person she encouraged, every meal she lovingly prepared, every sketchbook page she filled, every dance step that made her smile, and in the promise she carried to heal and help others.

Though our grief is deep, it is matched by gratitude for the gift of Keri’s life. We will honor her by loving one another as she did, quietly, consistently, with open hands and open hearts. In the echo of her laughter, in the hush of early morning light, and in the warmth of a kitchen filled with family, we will feel her near. We trust that the same God who numbered her days now holds her in perfect peace, where sorrow is no more and love endures forever.

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