William Levi Johnson

JOHNSON, William L. (Bill), age 89 of Kettering passed away on Thursday, February 18, 2010, at Wood Glenn Alzheimer Community. Born on Sept. 12, 1920 in Red Bush, KY, Bill moved to Danville, Ohio in 1926 where he finished grade school. At age 14, during the height of the Great Depression, he left home and rented a one-room apartment in Hillsboro where he worked as a soda jerk at the Equity Ice Cream store. He worked and put himself through high school, graduating in 1939. In 1941, Bill became a manager for the Equity Ice Cream store on Salem Ave. in Dayton, Ohio. He met Roberta on a blind date and they were married on June 5, 1942. The War was raging at the time, and Bill tried to join up, but he was rejected because he was diagnosed with lung problems. He also worked at Dayton Steel Foundry until 1946. He worked various jobs until 1950, at which time he went to work for Rike's Department Store as a shoe salesman. After superior performance, he was asked to become the private chauffer and domestic servant manager for the Rike Family of Oakwood, Ohio and worked for Mrs. Fredrick Rike until 1963. After her death, he preformed similar duties for her son David Rike, and daughters Susan Kircher and Evelyn Haswell. Later on he worked for Virginia Kettering, Mrs. Susan Patterson and George Shaw in the same capacity. Preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Clara (Coldiron) Johnson; his loving wife, Roberta I. (Weimer) Johnson in 2006; brothers Kenneth Johnson and his wife Helen, Charles Johnson and his wife Betty; and sisters Genevieve Ludwick and her husband Glenn, and Carolyn Johnson. Bill is survived by his children: Lawrence D. Johnson, Keith W. Johnson and his wife Kathleen (Stamm) and their children Jacqueline (Matt) Johnson-Shuler and David (Beth) Johnson; Linda E. (Johnson) Wolf and her husband Charles and their children Valarie (Mjr. Steven) Wolf-Adams, Charles (Tasha) Wolf, III, Lauren Wolf, Zachary Wolf and Jeremiah Wolf; nine great-grandchildren: Matthew, Andrew, Sammy, Anna Kate, Bryceton, Brendon, Ashley, Greyson and Harper; and siblings Oswald (Betty) Johnson, Katherine Bandura, Frances (Les) Henshaw, James (Nancy) Johnson, and Roger (Carol) Johnson. The family will greet friends on Friday, February 26, 2010 from 5:007:00PM at Routsong Funeral Home, 81 N. Main St., Centerville, OH. with Masonic services at 7PM. Funeral service will be held on Saturday at 10:00AM at the funeral home with Rev. Roland C. Marcus. If desired, donations may be made to Crossroads Hospice at 8087 Washington Village Drive, Bldg. A. Suite 120, Dayton, OH 45458. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.routsong.com.

Funeral Home:
Centerville Routsong Funeral Home
81 N. Main St.
Centerville, OH
US 45459