William Johnson

The funeral for William Leroy Johnson, 85, of Athens will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home with Kenneth Cosby, Lendal Middlebrooks and Travis Halford officiating. Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery.Visitation is from 5-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.He died Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, at Huntsville Hospital.Mr. Johnson was born June 25, 1924, in Limestone County, to Charles Roy Johnson and Gelia Agnes Loggins Johnson. Mr. Johnson worked as a heavy equipment operator for TVA before retiring. He was a member of the Church of Christ and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a gunners mate third class. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Agnes Johnson; and one son; Danny Ray Johnson.Survivors include his wife, Edna Mary Johnson of Athens; son, William Leroy Johnson II and wife Virginia of Athens; daughters, Cleo Gertrude Clardy and husband Richard, andMary Agnes Carwile and husband Jimmy, all of Athens; sisters, Gertrude Cosby of Athens, Myra Middlebrooks and husband Bryce of Albertville, and Betty Halford and husband Travis of Atlanta, Ga.; grandchildren, Michael Ball and Mary Michelle Ball; and his favorite pet, Harley.Pallbearers will be Carlos Shannon, Travis Halford, Kenneth Cosby, Lendal Middlebrooks, Jimmy Robinson and Buck Thompson.