William "Billy" Lloyd Johnson

Funeral Services for William L. "Billy" Johnson will be held on Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Murray Jones officiating. Interment will be held in the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege following the services.

William Lloyd "Billy" Johnson, 64 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at his home in Holdrege. Bill was born June 16, 1950 at Holdrege, the eldest of two children born to Lloyd Donald and Mary Ann (Schwarz) Johnson. When Billy was only three, his father passed away in 1953. Bill received his education from Holdrege High School, graduating with the class of 1968. He then pursued higher education, graduating from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska.

Bill enjoyed farming. He starting out helping his Grandpa Johnson and his uncles and later assisted other farmers that included: Floyd Waller, Lee Howsden and Holly Hodge, before starting out on his own.

Billy made his home on the family farm located just north of the Holdrege Country Club, where he continued his love of farming and raising cattle until his passing.

From time to time he enjoyed volunteering with Charlie Vosburg at the Phelps County Pantry during the food drives and he and Charlie also enjoyed gardening together. He was a member of the Sons of the American Legion, and although Bill was not a veteran, he would often volunteer to help the local American Legion and the V.F.W. His friends will remember him for his big heart.

Billy loved attending farm sales. He also enjoyed researching about airplanes and equipment from World War II, antique farm equipment and John Deere tractors. His favorite past-time was having coffee with friends as he socialized around town.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by; his maternal grandparents: Anton and Madge Schwarz; paternal grandparents: William and Lena Johnson; aunts and uncles: Anton Schwarz and his wife, Doris, Charles Schwarz, Evelyn Peterson and her husband, Walter, Grace Peterson and her husband, Henry, Howard Johnson and his wife, Marian, Lester Johnson and his wife, Mabel, Leslie Johnson and his wife, Katherine, and Marian Ruth Kargo and her husband, George.

He is survived by his sister, Debra Ann Johnson of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; his aunts: Jeannine Hopkins and her husband, Robert "Hoppy" of Holdrege and Betty LeBeau of California; along with numerous cousins, extended family and many friends.

Visitation will be held on Monday, March 30, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

A memorial has been established in Billy's honor and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.