Bill was born to Julius & Emmie Johnson January 19, 1936 at Hoquiam General Hospital at 7:55 A.M. weighing 9lbs & 2 oz. Bill was the youngest of six boys, Paul, Delbert, Roy, Chad, & Percy. His brothers chose a name for him. William Herbert Johnson. His dad said those are good initials.
Bill was very young when his family moved to Acme. His dad had started his own business.
Bill loved living in Acme with his brothers and family. He often talked about all the cousins that would come and stay. Most worked for his dad at one time or another. He loved the freedom to be able to fish and hike and play with his dog Peter.
In 1945 Bill started school at Acme, and in that same year the Johnson’s house burned down. Bill’s dad bought some apartments in Acme and he was able to continue school there.
In 1948 Bill, his dad, mom and brother Paul traveled to Sweden. They spent six months there. Bill loved the challenge of the language and culture and meeting all his aunts, uncles, cousins and family. He loved the fact the teacher did not send any books with him for school. She said that was a learning experience in itself. I know it helped matters that his dad was head of the school board.
All the brothers were married and Bill and his mom and dad moved to Lake Whatcom. Bill attended high school in Bellingham until his Senior Year. His family moved to Garberville CA.
Bill started his Senior Year at South Fork High in Miranda CA. He was immediately accepted in sports and choir. He excelled in Basketball and was one of the few in a select group called the Charioteers who sang for different events etc.
One of his high lights was on his dad’s 65th birthday Bill sang the Lord’s Prayer at the talent show and dedicated it to his dad. No one can sing that as well as he does. Can you imagine singing that in a public school now?
Bill graduated in 1954 and that fall started school at Humboldt State.
Bill and I went to school together but we never dated. In October just before Halloween I took Aneena Baumans folks car and some kids to Fortuna skating rink. Bill had come down with his friend Archie to see his girlfriend Linda. He asked me to skate and for a date. I said yes even though I knew he was going steady with someone else. I thought he was giving me a line. He broke up with his girl and kept the date with me and on October 28, 1956 we were married at Hotel Benbow. Rev. Eakes from the Presbyterian Church married us.
We took our Honey moon in Washington and Canada. We stopped by Roy’s on our way and took Gary, Galen and Nancy trick or treating. Who else do you know that would take their niece and nephews trick or treating on their Honeymoon? Lol
Bill was working at a station when we got married. Things did not work out and we moved to Bellingham where he went to work for his brother Roy.
Our first house in WA was in Bellingham then we moved to Concrete where Bill’s brother, Pete and wife Bev and children lived. We had many fun times with them visiting and enjoying their children Ron, Trudy, and Wendy.
On December 12, 1957 Jerry was born, and on November 7, 1959 Tami was born both at Bellingham St. Joseph hospital.
Logging was very slow so we decided to come back to CA . In 1960 we moved to Alameda where Frances’ sister lived and Bill went to work at a station in Berkeley.
In 1963 Bill went to work at General Motors in Fremont where his brother Chad was working. At one time Chad, Del and Bill were all working for GM.
In 1965 Shana was born at the Kaiser hospital in Santa Clara Ca.
In 1970 GM had cut backs and Bill went to work as Terminal Manager for ONC Truck lines. They moved us to Redding CA. He worked for them until they shut the Redding Terminal down.
Bill was very active in the community. He was President of the Shasta High Boosters Club, President of Lions Club. He refereed both basketball and football. In addition to being on the board at Tucker and Gold Hill Golf Clubs and singing for different social event.
Bill’s passion was golf. He won several trophies, but the high light was his trips to Spy glass. Bill was a very good golfer and was referred to on the course as “Billy white shoes”’, as he always wore white golfing shoes. He has gotten 3 hole in one in golf.
In 1988 we took guardianship of Frances’s nephews DeVon who was two and a half and Sean who was 15 months. Which was a real challenge.
1989 our first grandchild Tracy then Kaitlin. In 1991 Nate and Kaleb was born. Shana has had Tressie since she was an infant. Last year she got legal guardianship of her. Tressie is now 12 years old.
Bill went to work for Kragens then Napa auto parts.
In 2005 while out on the Gold Hills golf course Bill had a stroke. Which was the starting of his memory loss. He continued working at Napa until illness forced him to retire.
Sadly, on July 7th 2015 Bill went to be with the Lord and we will forever miss him, but he is finally at peace with the Lord