Charles W. Johnson

Nov. 4, 1914 – June 2, 2016

Charles W. Johnson, formerly of Williamsville, a wholesale lumber and building materials salesman, died June 2 in the Masonic Care Community of New York in Utica, where he had been a resident since 2014. He was 101.

Born in Providence, R.I., he was an Eagle Scout and attended Rhode Island State College, now the University of Rhode Island. After college, he worked a variety of jobs in Rhode Island and had a defense job at Washburn Wire during World War II.

After becoming a wholesale lumber salesman, he came to the Buffalo area in 1955. He worked at Babcock-Buffalo Lumber Corp., retiring in 1980.

He was a past president and life member of the Buffalo Lumber Exchange and was a member of the lumbermen's fraternal organization, the International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo.

In retirement, he became the first director of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce.

Active in church and fraternal organizations, he had a lifelong association with Masonic groups, beginning with the DeMolay in Rhode Island. He was a member of the Ismalia Shrine Temple in Buffalo and was chancellor of the PhD's luncheon group for more than a quarter century.

His other Masonic memberships included the Amherst Shrine Club, West Seneca Lodge 111, F&AM; and the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Valley of Buffalo.

His wife of 40 years, the former Leona Maude Smith, a Williamsville elementary school teacher, died in 1995.

Survivors include two daughters, Barbara Johnson Ward Batten and Karen Svea Johnson; four granddaughters and 12 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. July 7 in the Carlton A. Ullrich Funeral Home, 8630 Transit Road, East Amherst.