William Lawton Johnson, 87, of Blackshear, passed away early Tuesday morning, July 28, 2026, at his residence following an extended illness.
Born August 5, 1938, in Patterson, he was a son of the late Lemiel Joseph Johnson and Gaynell Herrin Johnson. A lifelong resident of Pierce County, he was a 1957 graduate of Blackshear High School.
He devoted his entire career to the plywood industry, retiring in 2000 as a glue salesman for Georgia-Pacific. During his career, he also served as an inspector for TECO Plywood, formerly known as U.S. Plywood and Champion Plywood.
A member of First Baptist Church of Blackshear, he attended the Enriched Sunday School Class and was active with the JOY Group.
Dedicated to serving his community, he was a longtime Pierce County volunteer firefighter and was instrumental in helping establish the Bearville Fire Department.
An avid outdoorsman, his life revolved around his work, hunting and fishing, and he especially enjoyed training hunting dogs. He was a longtime member of the Cross Swamp Hunting Club, where he provided the original pack of hunting dogs and harvested the first deer ever taken on the club's property. He was also a proud member of the Pierce County Fox Hunters Association.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his three sisters, Virginia J. Peacock, Jeanita J. Smith and Bertie Mae J. Shuman.
Survivors include his wife of almost 69 years, Vonseil Houston Johnson, Blackshear; two children, William Dwayne Johnson (wife Karen) and Rhonda Johnson Williams (husband Lewis), both of Blackshear; four grandchildren, Andy (Brandi) Johnson, Brooke (Wayne) Musgrove, Matthew (Kalin) Williams and Jacob (Megan) Williams; 10 great-grandchildren, Houston Johnson, Hutson Johnson, Rhyley (Kameron) Best, Ashton Musgrove, Noah Teitsch, Kole Bryant, Aden Williams, Trent Williams, Braylen Williams and Adaleigh Williams and several nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Visitation will be held from 2-3 p.m. Thursday, July 30, at the funeral home.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 30, from the chapel of Hart Funeral Home.
Interment will follow in the Laura Chapel Cemetery.
The family requests the Blackshear First Baptist Church Enriched Sunday School Class and the Pierce County Fox Hunters Association serve as honorary pallbearers. They are asked to please be at the funeral home by 2:40 p.m. Thursday.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.hartfh.com.
Hart Funeral Home of Blackshear is in charge of arrangements
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