Obituary for William Johnson

William "Billy" Allen Johnson, former resident of Ponca City lost his battle to cancer on Friday, January 10, 2014 at his daughter’s residence in Newkirk, OK. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family. He was 89.

Billy was born on July 6, 1924 to Daisy Mary (Duggan) Johnson and William "Willard" A. Johnson in Blackwell, OK. When he was about 6 years of age, they moved to the farm about 3 miles east of Eddy, OK. He grew up there on the farm and was the oldest of ten children. Living in the country with no church nearby, Billy attended and was saved at a Sunday School class which was held by a neighbor in her home. He was later baptized in a Baptist church. He was a member of Sunset Baptist Church, but joined Community Christian Church later in life.

Billy attended a country school at Carlile where he graduated from the 8th grade. He then attended High School at Blackwell, OK until he joined the Navy in July 1943 and served during WWII. Billy was honorably discharged in March 14, 1946. He then went into farming with his father while attending school on the GI Education Program at N. O. C. in Tonkawa, OK. until about 1950 when they moved to a farm east of Peckham, OK. There he continued to farm grain and livestock.

Billy married Freida Marie Zang on March 26, 1955. They lived in Arkansas City, KS for a short time and later moved to Blackwell, OK where they resided for about two years. They settled in Ponca City in 1957 and lived there until their divorce in 1971. They had seven children.

Billy worked as a mechanic at the Ford garage in Ponca City. He later married Olive Irene Burns in September of 1973. He joined the Boilermakers Union and they traveled from one job to the next for several years until he retired at the age of 62 in 1986. Olive died in July 1999. A year later he met Wilma Jean Bowlin, his loving companion until her death in 2013.

Billy had a great sense of patriotism and humor. He enjoyed the outdoors, hunting, fishing and wood working in his garage. He was a lifetime member of the V.F.W. and of the R.S.V.P. He was also a president of the Wheatheart Council at the Ponca City Senior Center for several years.

Billy was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers; Newell C. Johnson and Glen R Johnson and one sister; Phyllis E. Powell and by his second wife Olive I. Johnson.

Billy is mourned by his friends and his brothers: Delbert F. Johnson and wife Lois, Jerry K. Johnson and wife Colleen, Carl C. Johnson and wife Donna; sisters: Zyla D. Cox and companion Carl Smith, Patti L Harper and husband Jim, Cora Maybell "Connie" Burnham and husband Fred; sister-in-law: Joyce F. Johnson; seven children: Joy M. Hunter and husband Fred of Newkirk, OK, Teresa Ann Rowley of Winfield, KS, Della J Moore and husband Bruce of Winfield, KS, Tracy A. Johnson and wife Vickie of Okmulgee, OK, Vicky L McCallum and husband Steve of St. George, KS, Shelly Mathews and husband Eddie of Arkansas City, KS, and Garan Johnson and wife Niki of Belle Plaine, KS; five step-children: Olive "Annette" Goodall, Darlene Bricker, Imogine Harrel, Lester Burns and Larry Burns; sixteen grand-children and 23 great-grandchildren and many step great-grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the Community Christian Church with Rev. Susan Payne officiating. Arrangements are made under the direction of Trout Funeral Home and Crematory. In lieu of flowers the family requests a donation be made to Ponca City Senior Center or Hospice of North Central Oklahoma.

Source: Trout Funeral Home