September 09 1926 January 22 2021
William Claud Johnson, JR September 09, 1926 – January 22, 2021 Share this obituary Send Flowers Upload Photo| View/Sign Guestbook| Send Sympathy Card William Claud “Bill” Johnson, Jr., 94, passed away on January 22, 2021, at Columbus Hospice in Columbus, Georgia. He was born on September 9, 1926, in Stewart County Georgia, to the late William Claud Johnson, Sr. and Lucille Mendahall Johnson. He is preceded in death by both of his parents; his wife, Lucy “Honey”; two sons, Raymond Johnson and Jimmie Johnson; five brothers, Paul Johnson, Harold Johnson, Mac Johnson, Melvin Johnson and Fred Johnson; and one sister, Frances. Bill is survived by his beloved sister, Jane (Jerry) Johnsen; two sons, Billy Johnson and Bobby Johnson; a granddaughter, Tammy LeBlanc; a nephew, Jimmy Johnson; two very close friends, Lewis and Sally Baldwin; his close insurance adjusting partner, Barbara Osborne; four faithful friends, Al Robertson, Suzanne Broussard, Lynda Moore and Lynn Holder; and numerous grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. Bill led an amazing life and truly traveled the world over during his lifetime. He joined the United States Navy during World War II at the age of 18. He attended a 12-week boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois, then traveled by troop train to California. There he attended a three-week training camp to be a Five Man Gun Crew, stationed on the USS Boots, an ammo ship. He served in the Pacific Theater; the Philippines; the Fuji Islands, Australia and Hawaii. Bill told they were in Australia the night they received word that “the war had ended” and the celebrating that happened afterwards. Bill also served the whole ship as their ship’s barber. During a Japanese attack on their ship, Bill was wounded and received the Purple Heart. After the end of the war, Bill’s ship docked in California and he made his way to Charleston, South Carolina, to receive his honorable discharge. He met his father halfway between Charleston and Lumpkin, to visit. Bill made his way back to California and lived there for many years. During Bill’s lifetime he went from; a small community with no electricity, farming with mules, to huge ships, fighting in a war overseas, running his own businesses, learning to use a computer, emailing and using Facebook! Following Bill’s discharge, he worked in San Francisco at the General Motors Plant as a line man. He became a truck driver and learned to drive a steam shovel. After several years he decided to open his own service station. Later he moved to Arizona and opened another service station. He had also established a large bottled water delivery route. About 1962, Bill moved to Lumpkin to farm with his brother Mac for a few years. Bill met and married Lucy “Honey” in Lumpkin. They moved to the “little Moore place”, later buying a home in Lumpkin. After several years they bought a farm on the Valley Road from Marvin Lane and worked the land. They farmed and raised purebred Hereford cattle. Bill and Honey enjoyed traveling to flea markets, having a booth and selling their wares. Bill had many hobbies: he loved to garden, both vegetables and fruit trees; enjoyed very spicy foods; eating watermelon; was a great cook, especially baking cakes, Japanese Layer cake, Coconut and Orange cakes; and made amazing vegetable soup and fresh peach ice cream. Bill loved to eat and grow hot peppers! He would preserve, hot sauce, fig preserves, pepper relish and peaches. He and Honey filled up their freezers each year as the vegetables and fruits would come in. Bill also loved his fig trees, especially this year, as he was able to eat them right from the trees. Bill made trips to the peach counties and come back with a truck load of peaches to preserve each year. The last garden work Bill was able to help with, was with Johnny Giles’ garden. Bill enjoyed sharing the fruits of his labor with his friends. For a short time, Bill and Honey lived in Florida where he opened an appliance repair store. Bill was a Mr. Fix-It! They lived there for a couple of years but returned home to Lumpkin. Bill served as Chairman of the Board of the Stewart County Housing Project for numerous years; served as President of the Stewart County Farm Bureau for several terms; was a member of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association; was a founding member of two Grace Baptist Churches, in Eufaula, Alabama and Lumpkin, where he preached for several years; and lastly attended Red Hill Church when he was able. Bill committed his life to Christ on August 19, 1965. After Bill retired from farming, Lewis persuaded Bill to work as a crop insurance adjuster. He worked as an adjuster until he was 82 years old and upon retiring, he was the oldest living active crop insurance adjuster. After this retirement, he still vegetable farmed with Lewis, Sally and the boys, Allen and Eric, both at their home farm in Webster County and at the Valley Road farm (the farm they bought from Bill). Lewis and Bill had been friends (cousins by marriage) and work buddies for many years. Bill had his own office space at Lewis’ crop insurance agency. For years, an adjuster could go out with the agent so Bill and Lewis traveled together. At this point Bill truly became a Baldwin family member! During the last two years of his life, Bill and his sister Jane would talk on the phone every day, until he was no longer able to handle the phone. Bill enjoyed talking to Jane, reminiscing about the past and catching up on present day happenings. Jane arranged to have pizza and hamburgers delivered on Thursdays! Bill would share pizza with Lewis and Lynda, at their weekly family meal. Jane would send Bill the warmest PJ’s and jogging suits, too. A couple of nights before Bill passed, he was still “working for Lewis” and they “filled out his time card”. He was also “attending” a crop adjusters meeting that week. Bill was back in the days that he really loved, working with Lewis and the farmers. This last year, Bill celebrated his 94th birthday with a party at a Phenix City restaurant with friends, steaks and cake! For Bill’s 90th birthday, Sally and Lewis had set up a big surprise birthday party at the Lumpkin Methodist Church. It was an amazing day! A Graveside Service will be held on Sunday, January 24, 2021, at 3:00 PM, at Shady Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, in the Johnson plot, outside of Lumpkin, Georgia. Lewis Baldwin will officiate the service. Bill will be laid to rest next to his father. Lewis and Sally wish to express their thanks to four special people that assisted Bill over the last several years; Lynda Moore, Lynn Holder, Suzanne Broussard and Al Robertson. They checked in on Bill during the day and assisted Lewis at night when needed and taking Bill to doctors when Lewis was unable to take him. The Columbus Hospice staff were of great assistance, coming down each day, being on call and handling the setup to make Bill comfortable. They were kind and loving in their care of Bill, especially this last week when he was staying at Columbus Hospice. Bill would not allow outside visitors because his immune system was non-existent and he was afraid someone would bring in the virus and infect him. The last couple of months Bill had a kitten that took up at his house. He enjoyed sitting out on the carport and feeding the kitty. He would let the kitty sit in his lap as he enjoyed the sun! This was one of the first animals he had after all of these years. No flowers please, instead Bill wanted donations to go to the Shady Grove Cemetery Fund: to Baldwin Funeral Home. Shady Grove was the Johnson family church. This church was always close to Bill’s heart. Visit our web site at www.baldwinfuneralhome.com Baldwin Funeral Home, 50 Overby Dr., P O Box 394, Richland, GA 31825, was in charge of all arrangements. 229-887-2750 To plant Memorial Trees in memory of William Claud Johnson, JR, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. SERVICES Graveside Service Sunday, January 24, 2021 Shady Grove Baptist Church Providence Canyon Rd Lumpkin, GA 31815 Get Directions on Google Maps Print Obituary
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of William Claud Johnson JR September 09 1926 January 22 2021.
Death notice for the town of: Richland, state: Georgia