Billy Johnson

December 20, 1932 - October 26, 2014

Bill Raymond Johnson, 81, of Madisonville, TX; passed away on October 26, 2014 in Madisonville. Funeral services are scheduled for 11 AM on Wednesday; October 29th at Day Funeral Home Chapel. Brad Brock will officiate. The burial will follow at Ten Mile Cemetery. Bill was born on December 20, 1932 in Mullen, NE to Judge Chester and Pearl (Eivins) Johnson and he was the fourth of six siblings. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Chester Harvey Johnson and Donnie Johnson. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Wanda Johnson; his daughter Nancy Gilmore and her husband, Loren; his son Marty Johnson and his wife Lisa Cole Davis; his grandsons, Landon Gilmore, Cole Davis, and Connor Davis and his wife Kaylee; his granddaughters, Lindsey Gilmore Hendricks and her husband Jason and Lacey Jade Vanis and her husband Eric; great grandchildren, Lane Hendricks, Lex Hendricks, Ellie Vanis, and Chad Davis; sisters, Eleanor Johnson Weber, Patricia Johnson Wallingford, and Lola Johnson Schadwinkel; and numerous nieces and nephews from Colorado and Nebraska. Bill graduated from Mullen High School in 1951 where he competed in football, basketball, and track. After high school, he attended Chadron State College and played football. He then transferred to Sul Ross University and competed in bareback riding, bull riding, and steer wrestling. A few semesters later, Bill and several of his rodeo team member friends transferred to Sam Houston State University which had one of the top intercollegiate rodeo teams in the nation. In 1955, Bill moved back to Nebraska to ranch and married Wanda Marshall. They had two children; Nancy and Marty who were born two years apart both on May 1st. Soon, Bill and Wanda purchased his dad’s feed store, which grew to five stores, servicing the heart of the ranch country in the Sand Hills of Nebraska. With much hard work and dedication, Johnson Feed Store, Inc. was honored to be recognized for thirteen years as one of the top feed businesses in the nation. With Marty and Nancy living in Texas and going to Sam Houston State University, Bill and Wanda decided to sell their feed stores and move to Texas to be near their children. Although the Johnson’s had always had good ranch and rodeo horses, once in Texas, they discovered a new love – cutting horses! They operated a cutting horse facility for several years and owned several outstanding horses. Because of failing health and several strokes, Bill has spent the last eleven years living at Madisonville Care Center where he had many wonderful friends and really enjoyed all the various activities, fellowship, and loving care that he received. His everyday “singing” to any and all will certainly be missed. Serving as pallbearers are: Tommy Parker, Clint Wakefield, Mike Fryer, Jason Hendricks, David Jones, and W.R. Baker. Serving as honorary pallbearers are: Kenneth Richie, Bobby Samuel, Bobby Wise, Ronnie Nettles, and Sonny Sikes. Bill loved his family, children, grandchildren, good horses, and Nebraska football. He became a Christian late in life and we know where he spends eternity. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to The House of Hope in Madisonville.