Earvin Johnson Sr., father of NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, remembered for his work ethic

LANSING — Earvin Johnson Sr., a Mississippi sharecropper who came to Lansing to find work at Oldsmobile and stayed to raise a family, died on Wednesday, according to his family.

Johnson, whose children include namesake and NBA Hall of Fame basketball player Earvin "Magic" Johnson, died at McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital. He was 88 years old.

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Magic Johnson posted on Instagram Thursday and expressed his heartbreak over his father's death. He said the elder Johnson was his biggest supporter, best friend, hero and idol.

"I wanted to be just like my dad," the Michigan State University and NBA legend said. "My father was the hardest working man I've ever known. He worked two to three jobs at any given time to provide for his family and never made excuses."

Larry and Lillie Johnson, two of the couple's seven children together, remembered their dad for his work ethic as he taught them to always be proud of making an honest living. They said he loved working on cars and made sure all of his children would do their chores around the house and their homework.

"He just made sure that our dreams were his dreams and he gave us all we wanted and all we needed plus some," Lillie, 64, said.

In his book, Magic wrote that his father was from Wesson, Mississippi, and that his parents were sharecroppers. Johnson and Christine came to Michigan in 1955 because there were jobs at an Oldsmobile plant in Lansing.

Johnson worked night shift at General Motors' now-defunct Fisher Body plant in Lansing and raised his family in a three-bedroom home in what is now known as the West Side neighborhood. Christine Johnson was a school custodian. Johnson mainly worked on the Oldsmobile assembly line and came home with burn marks on his clothes from the job, Magic wrote.

Johnson also worked part-time at a nearby Shell gas station pumping gas and fixing cars, and had another job operating his own trash-collecting business, where his sons worked with him, Larry said.

Larry, 66, said he and his older brother would hide while riding in the truck on routes to pick up garbage.

"He used to always tell us to sit up," Larry recalled. "'You ain't doing nothing wrong it's an honest job.'"

Magic Johnson later Thursday posted a video on his Instagram from an event at which he thanked his parents for the work they put him through to be a better basketball player.

"Mr. and Mrs. Earvin Johnson, without you sitting there every day, every Sunday had me right there beside you pointing out different things about basketball, getting me on that truck every day, every morning making me go to work with you," Magic Johnson said in a video. "I wouldn't really learn what hard work is about without you, and you know that I owe you so much and I love you so much, dad."

Magic wrote in his book that his dad was deeply involved with Union Missionary Baptist Church and sang in the church's choir.

"My father would be so proud to know that we are celebrating his life through philanthropy by giving underserved students a chance to live out their respective dreams at the university he truly loved, MSU." Johnson wrote.

Larry and Lillie recalled their dad being an avid Michigan State University fan after many of his children attended the university.

Up until he fell ill, Lillie said he'd always get to games at least an hour early and at in Section 128, row 24, seats one through four. He'd watch the Spartans warm up so often Coach Tom Izzo would look up and see Johnson.

"He wanted to be a part of all that action and stuff even when he was getting sick," Lillie said. "If he could make it, he was there."

Johnson is survived by his wife, Christine (Porter). Together they had seven children, according to an obituary posted on Paradise Funeral Chapel's website: Quincy, Larry, Lillie Pearl, Kim, Evelyn, Yvonne and Magic. The Johnsons also had three children from previous marriages, Michael, Lois and Mary.

The family is accepting donations to the Magic Johnson Foundation in lieu of flowers. They're asking people to include the Earvin Johnson Sr. Scholarship on checks. Donations can be mailed to the foundation at 9100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 700 East Tower, Beverly Hills, California, 90212.

The scholarship will provide funds for incoming minority students at Michigan State University.

A public viewing is planned for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Tabernacle of David Church on 2645 W. Holmes Rd. in Lansing. In-person attendance to the funeral and celebration of life is limited to family. The public can view the funeral at noon on Thursday via YouTube.

Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at 517-267-1344 or knurse@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @KrystalRNurse.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Earvin 'Magic' Johnson mourns death of father Earvin Johnson Sr.