None of us at the Bryan County News knew Carver Elementary School Principal Joye Johnson was ill.

She never let on.

In our dealings with her, she remained the same gracious, kind and cooperative person - someone who would respond quickly to requests for help and never hesitated to do what she could to ensure her beloved school got its fair share of recognition.

Speaking of which - one of the reasons Bryan County has experienced such tremendous growth in recent years has been the quality of its schools. They are, as many have noted, one of the crown jewels of Bryan County.

There’s a reason for that- it comes through the hard work, talent and dedication of a great many people but in particular school leaders and staffs who don’t settle for second best while also keeping in mind that school is, above all else, supposed to be about the children.

In other words, people like Joye Johnson.

This popular, talented and ebullient principal, who died far too soon Monday, will leave a lasting legacy at Carver Elementary and in Bryan County. She not only ensured her school was among the best in the state, she also took care of her teachers and her students - and few who met her came away untouched by the force of her personality.

Indeed, she was aptly named, as someone on our internet site pointed out, for the joy she bought others. And while we believe all of us are put on this earth to do some good, some do much more than others.

That was the case with Joye Johnson. So, our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and all those who loved and knew her best. While we are all poorer because of her loss, we’re also richer for having known her.