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Billy Johnson

By his brother, Roy Johnson

My "kid brother" Billy Johnson (62 years old at his death, two years my junior) battled cancer for 18 months. About 8:30 PM Monday, March 16, 1998, I got the message that he had passed away. I was blessed that my school had spring break the week before and I got a good visit when he was still lucid. He was still at home at the time. I went to see him and we had a beautiful conversation. That night they took him to the hospital, and it was downhill from there on. Even when he was fuzzy from the pain medication, there was always a smile on his face and he never felt sorry for himself, always thinking of others. Told that his daughter in San Francisco and his son and family in North Carolina were on their way home, he said, "This will be awfully hard on them." Sometimes the pain would push through the medication and he would grimace. "Do you hurt?" we would ask.  "A little; don't worry about it, I'll be okay." From the beginning he said he would fight as hard as he could but he did not fear death. He was always calm, behaving as if nothing was out of the ordinary. He said he wouldn't change any of his life if he had it to do over. He was a deacon in his church and his faith was strong and remained with him until the end. He was even able to make a couple of wise cracks through the fuzz of the medication. I'm proud of him.

Billy was born Sept. 22, 1935.  His life was unusual in this day and age.  He moved once--40 yards from the farm home where we grew up--and lived there the rest of his life.  His wife moved three miles to join him.  They lived in two rooms when they started and gradually built additions until he had a comfortable, modern home.  His wife was a classmate and they were married at age 18, in the fall after they graduated.  He started driving the bookmobile at the county library in Neosho, MO, at age 19.  He drove the bookmobile all over the county until it was discontinued several years ago. He continued to work at the library as it grew and became the Town and Country Regional Library.  At his death he was the assistant director of the library. How many folks today work at the same place for a lifetime?

 He was a deacon and lifelong member of the Granby Baptist Church where we grew up, and was a member of the local school board for 19 years.

Billy's hobby was country fiddle, and an area musician told me recently that there was no better fiddler in the area.  He founded the "Gatherin' on the Square” in Neosho, MO, where amateur (and sometimes professional) musicians from all over the area would gather on Thursday evenings for impromptu music and entertainment. According to his minister, he “played the fiddle at hootenannies all over the area, and played the violin in the church services”.  He had played in high school orchestra and could read music.  Whether it's a fiddle or a violin depends on how you play it.  He played at nursing homes and charity events with his group, and they never charged anything for their services.  He got paid a little for playing with a group a few times, but he told me that if he ever made money with his music, it would probably spoil him.

At the visitation, I thought people would never stop coming.  Over 400 people signed the guest book.  

I wrote the following song in his honor.  The tune is more or less that of Dolly Parton's "Daddy was an old time preacher man".

Fiddlin' Man

Billy Johnson was a fiddlin' man.
He loved to take that fiddle in his hand,
Rosin up the bow and make it sing a joyful sound.
Now Billy Johnson's laid his fiddle down.

Yes, Billy was an old time fiddlin' man,
He came from an old time fiddlin' clan.
For five generations Johnson fiddlers could be found
Till Billy Johnson laid his fiddle down.

He was founder of the "Gatherin' on the Square".
On Thursday evenings Billy would be there,
Fiddlin', smilin', howdyin', and helping all around.
Now Billy Johnson's laid his fiddle down.

I remember Billy's final days--
I recall that smile upon his face,
Not for him self pity, not for him a mournful frown
But Billy knew he'd laid his fiddle down.

Now Billy's fiddlin' somewhere up on high
At that great reunion in the sky.
He's prob'ly got St. Peter dancin' that ol' buck and wing,
Listening to Billy's fiddle sing.

Yes, Billy's looking down on all of us
Wondering why we're making such a fuss,
He won’t play that golden harp if a fiddle can be found,
And never more he'll lay his fiddle down.

Yes, nevermore he'll lay his fiddle down
For Billy was an old time fiddlin' man---

by Roy Johnson

The above is a scan of a newspaper picture.  Sorry about the quality.

A righteous man who walks in his integrity--how blessed are his children after him
--Proverbs 20:7
Inscription on Billy's tombstone, chosen by his children

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