William Johnson

1957 - 2021

William E. Johnson, 64, of Montrose, passed away, after an extended illness, on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at Wilson Hospital, Johnson City, NY.
He was born on February 26, 1957, in Scranton, PA, to the late Robert A. and Roselyn M. (Rodney) Johnson. His wife of 38 years, Janice (Reid) Johnson, survives.
Also surviving are his three children and their spouses, William R. and Nellie Johnson, Eric E. Johnson, Nellie K. (Helen) and Josh Capwell; five grandchildren: Riley and Carter Johnson, Layne, Skye, and Lily Capwell; three siblings and spouse, Linda Johnson Bonavita and Aldo Bonavita, Robert and Donna Johnson, Martin Johnson; nieces, nephews and cousins.
In Jan's words, "he was a smart, amazing, interesting man." Bill was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who helped his family through their individual struggles. He was an artist. He built and distributed hundreds of bluebird houses throughout Susquehanna County and was a member of the North American Bluebird Society. He was a teacher to anyone who was in his company. He loved the outdoors. He taught his kids to fish and hunt. He loved to go bass fishing at Ramapo Reservation, NJ, and brought home fish for dinner every night while living in New Jersey. He was proud of the koi pond he cultivated on the family farm in Pennsylvania. He planted trees all over the family property and loved vegetable gardening.
He had a passion for music and went to several concerts with his wife and children over the years, including taking the kids to Woodstock in the 1990s. He played guitar and banjo, even though he couldn't read music, he played by ear.
He graduated in 1975 from North Arlington High School, NJ. He met his wife in 1977. That is when they worked their first job together, scooping ice cream at an ice cream truck in North Arlington. He worked on Lobster Fishing boats for Tandoi Lobster Company and Jan fondly remembers that they ate lobster every night. He was a limousine driver and a taxi driver. He worked as a camp counselor for special needs children, and also as a counselor at Tunkhannock School district with at risk youth. He started his career as a computer programmer for Bendix Corporation in Teterboro, NJ, while attending school for computer programing. He requested a transfer to the South Montrose Bendix location in 1987. He moved his young family to the Johnson family farm in Fairdale.
He later worked for the unemployment office and the census bureau before ultimately founding the family business, Johnson and Sons Stoneworks. He was one of the first, if not the first, person to create an internet website in the Montrose area at the start of the internet era in the late 1990s.
His deep love for his family was the thing we will remember about him the most. He was Jan's best friend and partner. She was the love of his life. He had a tight bond with each of his children through all of the ups and downs and his love was a force so strong it seemed to ground them during their craziest of times. He absolutely adored his five grandchildren and cherished the time he spent with them.
A Funeral Service was held Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at the Daniel K. Regan Funeral Home, with Pastor Robert C. Ford of Elisha's Home Ministries, officiating. Calling hours were held prior to the service.
Donations can be made in Bill's memory to the Organization for Autism Research (OAR).