William 'Bill' James Johnson Jr. Obituary (1933

William James Johnson Jr., (Bill) passed away on August 1st at the age of 89, after an almost two year battle with cancer. Throughout his treatment he stayed strong and optimistic with no complaints. Bill was born in Portland Oregon to Irene (Hauser) and William Johnson, Sr. on February 23, 1933. They moved to Seattle, spending his youth there and graduating from Franklin High School in 1951. He served in the U.S. Army as a truck mechanic during the Korean Conflict, which led to a long and successful career in the auto repair business. After returning from Korea, he began working at Barney and Als Chevron near downtown Bellevue. Eventually, he bought Barney out, but unselfishly left the well-known station named after the founders Barney and Al. The shrewd businessman he was, Bill was able to retire at the young age of 48. The Bellevue Journal American did a full page story about Al and Bill and their retirement as the station was an iconic fixture in Bellevue and extremely popular. Bill married Marilyn Stutz in 1958, and they had two children, Wendy and Dean. In early years Family vacations were spent visiting Lake Chelan, Crescent Bar, Sun lakes, and Ocean Shores. Not one trip went without someone mentioning a problem with their car and without hesitation, Bill would jump up and go help. He was that type of man. He met Kathy Griffin in 1991 and they wed in September 1999, and were happily married for 23 years, until the time of his passing. They enjoyed traveling in their motor home, and spent many winters in Yuma, AZ; trips to Reno and the Ellensburg Rodeo were also favorite getaways. He and Kathy had many great friends and family in Ellensburg, and Bill helped Kathy care for her father John during a long illness. Bill is survived by his wife, Kathy, son Dean, and daughter Wendy as well as his beloved grandchildren, Zach, Nick, Spencer and Abby. He also leaves behind nieces, a nephew and numerous cousins and his brother, Raymond Johnson. He is preceded in death by his father, William, his mother, Irene, and a stepmother Ray. Bill will always be remembered for his great personality, infectious laugh, kindness and generosity to all of those who knew him. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, August 27 at 11:00 AM at the IOOF Cemetery, 1900 Brick Road, Ellensburg, WA followed by a gathering of friends and family at the American Legion, 1101 E. Craig Road in Ellensburg. Graveside Service I.O.O.F Cemetery Saturday, August 27, 2022 11:00 AM 1900 Brick Rd. Ellensburg, WA 98926