Member on the Move: Midge Johnson ('They Didn't Get That Way By Themselves')

Earl Pace, Midge Johnson, Wayne Hicks

Margaret 'Midge' Johnson has a powerful legacy within BDPA. She served as the BDPA Washington DC chapter president in 1989-1990. Her chapter's HSCC team finished in second (1989) and first (1990) place during those two years. Her chapter hosted the 1990 National BDPA Technology Conference. Midge subsequently became the first-ever executive director for National BDPA.

Midge is now a 70 year-old mother and grandmother with a career in the Information Technology industry that spanned over 50 years until her recent retirement from GEICO. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and a Master's Degree in Public Administration with a specialization in Management Systems Analysis. Her degrees were earned over a period of 16 years of going to school at night and on the weekends. During those 16 years she was married, worked a full time job and she was mother to two sons and a daughter. She has been a married parent and a single parent. She is currently a member of Rainbow Family Christian Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Midge wrote a book entitled, 'They Didn't Get That Way By Themselves'. The book has a remarkable narrative, funny stories, the wisdom and the Word of God along with prayers. Use them all to train your children to prepare them for growing up to be responsible, self-reliant adults with integrity.



Midge grew up in a home with both parents after the first three years of her life (her father went off to World War II about 3 days after she was born). Her mother lived with her father's mother until he came back from the war. She had the benefit of both parents for about 6 of her first 15 years (her parents would separate and go back together intermittently). After that time, her mother raised her with the help of her paternal grandmother and her estranged father. She learned, observed and heard a lot of things related to "training" children through the years and decided that maybe she could help new parents and maybe some who were already parents.

"I didn't always make the best decisions concerning my children but I sure gave it my best based on what I experienced, what I was taught and what I learned as they grew. In retrospect, I have accumulated some nuggets on "training" children that eventually worked for my children as well as for my grandchildren."

Well done Midge! Now it is up to BDPA members and supporters to remember that old adage, 'BUY BDPA'!