RICHMOND - William C. Johnson, 91, of Richmond, died Friday, June 9, 2017 at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital, Janesville. He married Jeannine Blakely in Dubuque, Iowa. Bill and Jeanine had three children: Anmarie, Jeffrey and Jane.
Bill lived on the family farm he established in 1950, where he raised and milked Holstein dairy cattle. He took great pride in his herd and his land, and through his success as an independent farmer, taught his children and grandchildren the value of hard work and taking care of what you own. Bill also believed in helping and serving others, and it was in that spirit that he served as chairman of the Richmond Town Board. Bill was born and raised in the Town of Richmond, so he considered it an honor and his duty to serve the community and people he cared deeply about.
In his youth, Bill was a skilled baseball player, and he played on local community teams. As he got older and more of his time was spent on the farm, he gave up playing, but he managed to keep baseball a part of his life by spending many spare hours teaching his kids and grandkids to field grounders, catch fly balls and how to hit. Bill loved the outdoors, especially hunting turkey and fishing, as much as he loved his farm work. He would often go out after his chores were done, fishing on nearby Turtle Lake for bluegill, or out on his land, looking for turkey or deer. His advanced age didn’t seem to slow him down. In fact, Bill shot his last turkey just a couple of months before he died. He fed his family well, even to the end.
Bill will be missed dearly by his very close and loving family. They include his son, Jeff and daughter-in-law, Laura, and their children: Billy (Christina), all of Delavan, and Katie and Jamie, both of Whitewater; his daughter, Jane, and son-in-law, Tom Route, of Germantown, and their son, Chris, of Milwaukee; his granddaughter, Carrie Dampier, of Delavan; his great-grandchildren, Wyatt Nixon, and Nash and Brooklyn Johnson; and his brother, Carter Johnson, of Richmond. Bill will also be missed by many friends and extended family, especially Jim and Shirley Steele, his long-time neighbors across the road, who were always there to lend a hand when he needed it.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Jeannine; his daughter, Anmarie York; his grandson, Michael Route; his sister, Norma Redenius; and his parents.
Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, June 15, 2017 at Monroe Funeral Home, 604 E. Walworth Ave in Delavan. Visitation will be held from 9:30 A.M. until the time of the service on Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Richmond Cemetery. MONROE FUNERAL HOME in Delavan is assisting the family. Please visit us at delavanfuneralhome.com
