William Stuart Johnson

JOHNSON, William Stuart, born in Richmond, Virginia November 5, 1929, died Sunday, September 6, 2009 in his Keswick home, surrounded by loving family. Stuart was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, loyal friend and gentleman to all who shared his remarkable life. He was a 1948 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, a 1952 Mining Engineering graduate of Virginia Tech, and he completed advanced business studies at Harvard University and the University of Virginia. At Virginia Tech, Stuart captained the track team, and his excellence as a middle distance track athlete took him to the 1952 Olympic Trials. His love of running was lifelong, and at age 50, he and three other Richmonders captured the World Masters age-group record in the sprint-medley relay. In 1989, he became the first athlete inducted into the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame for achievements in track, and along with business partner and friend, Jack Miller, established the outdoor track complex at Virginia Tech, dedicated in 1997. He was also an exemplary member of the German Club, and in 1997, he received the German Club Alumni Foundation Distinguished Achievement Award. He was a member of the national leadership organization Omicron Delta Kappa. After college, Stuart served as a U.S. Naval officer aboard ship during the Korean conflict, and for many years more as a lieutenant commander reservist. Many knew and respected him, most as a businessman. He began his career with Bethlehem Steel, and in 1958, joined Brenco, Inc., a manufacturer of roller bearings, where he became president and chief executive in 1970. In 1981, he co-founded Roller Bearing Industries, developing a new process for reconditioning railroad bearings. Honoring his profound gratitude to Virginia Tech, Stuart and his wife, Freda, established a German Club Alumni Foundation Scholarship, a VTCCA Johnson Scholarship for the Corps of Cadets, the W. Stuart Johnson Endowed Scholarship for Track, the Freda Bullington and W. Stuart Johnson Animal Compassion Fund Endowment, and the Freda Bullington and W. Stuart Johnson Translational Medicine Fund for the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. He felt his life had come full circle when both of his grandchildren became Hokies, his grandson as a member of the Class of 2010 and his granddaughter as a member of the Class of 2011 at the Virginia Tech Veterinary School. He leaves behind his wife and high school sweetheart, Freda Bullington Johnson; his daughter, Claiborne Lange; son-in-law, Robin Cordle; grandchildren, Jessica and Will Cordle; sister, Lois West; nieces, Karen Kaplan and Linda Brady and their husbands, Daniel and Larry; nephew, Kevin Harrison; and their children. He was preceded in death by his mother, Marie Will Johnson; and his sister, Audrey J. Story. Whether standing knee-deep in the Atlantic surf waiting for the next fish to strike, or fishing around in his pocket for another treat for his beloved neighborhood dogs and cats; whether dancing with Freda until the wee hours or choreographing his next business success; whether racing to a new world record in his sixth decade or running down the beach with his grandchildren, Stuart struck a rare, delightful balance of unbridled passion, unflinching optimism, and uncommon dignity. A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 12, at noon at Grace Episcopal Church, 5607 Gordonsville Road, Rte. 231, in Cismont. The family requests that contributions be made to the Freda B. Johnson and W. Stuart Johnson Animal Compassion Endowment, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, Va. 24061, or to the German Club Alumni Foundation, 711 Southgate Drive, Blacksburg, Va. 24060.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.