William Wayne Johnson was born February 11, 1942, in Ellington, Missouri to Warren and Ima Jane Johnson. He departed this life July 8, 2023, at his home in Willow Springs, Missouri at the age of 81.

Bill moved to Willow Springs as a child and started school at Flat Rock, where Zella Collins was his first teacher. In 7th grade, he went to Fern Ridge school where his teacher picked him up every day. Beginning in the 8th grade, Bill attended school in town and graduated from high school in 1961. The family moved to Idaho shortly after, where he met and married Emma Fay Sousley in 1962.

While in school, Bill worked at the drive-in theater. He also picked blackberries and walked to town, where he would sell them at the ice plant. After moving to Idaho, he worked at the corn cannery as foreman of the cutter department. Years later, back in Willow Springs, he worked at Rawlings, followed by the local trophy factory for a few years. But when Ed Roberts bought the trophy factory, Bill worked 20+ years for him as the plant manager. Even after the plant burned, they remained lifelong friends. After retirement, he started tinkering with lawn mowers. He enjoyed the challenge of getting each mower to run, and he usually did. He and Roy Kelly spent many hours discussing the problems of each mower and how to fix it. They were great friends.

Bill's favorite pastime was hunting. When he was about 10, his dad taught him to use the gift of his first gun to hunt for food. He also enjoyed raising and competing in field trials with his beagles. He and Wayne spent many weekends doing this, bragging that their dog was the best, with many trophies between them to prove it!

Bill is survived by his wife, Emma Fay Johnson; two children, daughter Rene Johnson and son Wayne Johnson and wife, Stacey; three grandchildren, Ryan Bunch and wife Jessica, Jordan Johnson, Cole Johnson and wife Ashley; two great-grandchildren, Landon Bunch and Waylon Johnson.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Warren and Ima Jane Johnson and two brothers, Adrian and Charles Johnson.

Even though he is gone, he will never be forgotten.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at Yarber Mortuary, Willow Springs, Missouri, with Rev. Richard Green and Rev. C.L. Stage officiating. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 10-11:00 a.m. also at the funeral home. Interment will be in Willow Springs City Cemetery, Willow Springs, Missouri. Condolences may be expressed at www.yarbermortuary.com.