Willis L. Johnson, 80, of Brookston, passed away at 3:59 a.m. Friday, May 15, 2020, at BeeHive Homes of Lafayette.
Willis was born January 8, 1940, in Delphi, Indiana, to the late Merritt and Alta C. (Redding) Johnson.
Mr. Johnson was a 1958 graduate of Brookston High School and was a member of the basketball team and high school band.
While there he met Betty Jean Holwerda through her brother, a classmate of his. He and Betty began dating when he was a sophomore and she was a freshman. The couple would later marry on October 11, 1959, in the Federated Church of Brookston. Over the next 60 years Willis and Betty were inseparable, both running the family business and raising their family. Betty’s love allowed Willis to run the machine shop but more importantly serve the community and those in need daily. Willis’s love and devotion to his Betty never wavered. It was truly a love of a lifetime.
Mr. Johnson got his start repairing farm equipment for George Flack at Flack Repair and did that for several years until eventually buying the business and renaming it Johnson Machine Shop. In the mid 70’s Willis saw a need in the community and took a 1967 Ford pickup and converted it into a wrecker, thus Johnson Machine Shop and Wrecker Service was born. Shortly after, the business was relocated to the old Bordner Lumber Company location. In 1979 the Johnsons bought their first new wrecker and the business eventually grew to include a semi-truck wrecker service as well. Growing up knowing what it was like to do without, Willis was always hard working and did everything to the best of his abilities – never cutting a corner. He was very mechanically inclined and work was his hobby. Mr. Johnson retired in 2009.
Mr. Johnson was a community servant, enriching the lives of innumerable people throughout the area. Willis served 57 years as part of the Brookston Prairie Township Fire Department, 30 of those as Chief. While at the department he was instrumental in the growth and development as it evolved over the years.
For a number of years, Willis assisted his good friend, Larry Hartzler at the funeral home, including the ambulance service.
In 1967, Mr. Johnson became a Reserve Deputy with White County serving for 27 years. In addition, he was a Brookston Town Deputy and filled in as Town Marshall on an interim basis.
Willis was a longtime member of the Federated Church of Brookston, where he was a faithful member of the choir and held many positions of leadership. He was also a member of the Indiana Towing and Wrecker Association.
In September, 2018, Willis was awarded the Governors Circle of Corydon Award, for Hoosiers that have made remarkable contributions to the betterment of Indiana and its people through multiple areas of service.
Surviving with his wife Betty are two daughters, Rebecca Batic (husband: Mark) of Lebanon and Lana Howard (husband: Wendell) of Noblesville; their 4 grandchildren, Sarah, Zach, Cole and Clay and 4 great-grandchildren, Jaina, Isaac, Elijah and Oliver.
Preceding him in death is an infant daughter, Kelly Sue; a brother, Wayne Johnson and two sisters, Wilma J. Snipes and Norma J. Burton.
A private family funeral will be held at Hartzler-Clapper Funeral Home at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, 2020; Rev’s David Dole and Lelan D. McReynolds to officiate. A procession led by the Fire Department will be led to the Brookston IOOF Cemetery.
Those wishing may watch the service online by visiting the webpage dedicated to Willis on Clapperfuneralservices.com and clicking the embedded link at the bottom of his obituary.
In lieu of flowers memorials are requested to be made to Rock Steady Boxing at West Minster Village, a therapy for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, or the Brookston Prairie Township Fire Department.
https://my.gather.app/remember/willis-johnson
