William "Bill" L. Johnson

William Leo Johnson passed away on the morning of December 8th, 2020 at his home in Monticello, IL.

William, better known by his friends and family as “Bill” or “B”, was born on March 16th, 1954 in Rochester, MN to Dr. William S. and Charlotte Keck Johnson.

He is survived by his two sons, Christopher Charles Johnson of Champaign and Reid Thomas Johnson of Indianapolis, both of whom brought him joy and would make him light up when talking about them to others. Also surviving him is his brother, David L Johnson (Teresa) of Mount Pleasant, SC and his former wife of 38 years, Peggy Johnson of Indianapolis. He is also survived by his beloved nieces and nephews (Whitney, Clayton, William, Charlotte & Aidan), and many of his loving cousins spread across the country.

Preceding him in death were his parents, his sister Page Johnson Parkhill, his paternal grandparents, Leo and Henrietta Johnson and his maternal grandparents, Charles and Edith Keck, all of Champaign. 

Bill was a long-time resident of the Champaign-Urbana area growing up where he attended Southside Elementary, Edison Junior High, and Champaign Central High School where he graduated in 1972. Upon high school graduation, he would stay in the area for college and strengthen his love for the Illini where he graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Graphic Design. He was a talented individual growing up partaking in activities such as swimming and becoming an Eagle Scout that crafted many skills he would carry on with him throughout his life. He had many lifelong friends that he met from growing up in Champaign, and he will surely be missed by them as well.  

In his adult life, he worked in the Graphic Design field for many years before moving his family from Frankfort, IL to Monticello, IL in 2005 when he joined the Devonshire Realty Group as The Head of Corporate Communication. 

He later joined R Systems Inc, a local supercomputing start-up in 2011 where he helped build the business with his brother, David. He retired in 2018 when the company relocated to the Austin/Houston area. He forged many friendships at each firm and will be sorely missed by his loving colleagues.

He will be fondly remembered by his two sons and all their friends for always being one that enjoyed joining in on their activities with them and spending quality time in many ways. He always had a knack for making them laugh in ways that other people could not which was a great part of his personality. Bill will be remembered by many that ever encountered him as a genuine, fun loving person who enjoyed company and always made others feel welcome. He was blessed with a creative soul which loved music, design, art, collectibles, and literature. He made friends easily and had a deep empathy for those less fortunate than himself. He loved to make people laugh because he knew that humor was temporary relief to a world which was difficult for many. This gift will be missed by all who knew him.

For his family & friends that would like to pay respects, there will be more information to come on a memorial & luncheon that will be delayed until the springtime, and take place in his hometown of Champaign, IL. 

The Johnson Family would also like to thank everyone for their love and support during this time. 

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