Bill Lance Johnson passed away peacefully on August 9, 2023 after a short but hard fought battle against leukemia. His family wants him to know that he was so, so loved and will forever remain in our hearts.

If you knew Bill, then you know that he could exasperate you to no end. He loved a good conspiracy theory, partied a little too hard, and could have a short fuse (which his nieces enjoyed lighting with the latest "woke" argument). But you also know that he would be the first to give you the shirt off of his back and lend a hand. He loved his family and friends hard. He called his mom and sister every Monday and truly wanted the best for everyone (except maybe Hillary and AOC.) He was a lot like his dad: quick with a joke, a smile, and a contagious laugh. He collected friends from every walk of his life. From the crew at Fred's, to the Yucca Boys, to his cornhole and darts peeps, to his work buds, there was a constant stream of people coming by the hospital to wish Bill well and share cherished stories. He adored seeing every t-shirt, short, and flip flop wearing one of them.

Bill was athletic and enjoyed any kind of competition. When he was younger, that took the form of football and track, where his speed earned him the nickname "Cheeta". As he got older, that evolved into volleyball, golf, kickball, darts and cornhole. He did the NYT crossword every day, looked forward to each strategic board and card game, and will forever remain Trivial Pursuit champ.

His mom is a phenomenal cook and Bill followed suit. He could rustle up a gourmet meal out of nothing with whatever was on hand and was a virtuoso on the grill. Being a true Texan, he also loved to hunt, fish and camp. His family had many unforgettable evenings being outdoors and hanging out around the fire pit while Bill shared his latest music discoveries. A lifelong music lover, he spent more nights than he could count at concerts and playing tunes. During his final days, he asked for music to be played; one of his last requested songs "Where Rainbows Never Die" will take you out.

As befits a compassionate soul, Bill was hardly ever without a pet. He was as delighted as a kid on Christmas when he was able to sneak his dog into the hospital. His computer passwords were names of past pets and he was never so sad as when one passed away. A holder of many talents, his way with animals and artistic gifts were passed on to his daughter and his ear for music and love of cars to his son, who will carry on Bill's passionate restoration of his beloved 1971 FJ40 Land Cruiser. He remained married to the "hot redhead" he met in his early 20s who loved him fiercely to the end. It's not always easy living with the life of the party but his family's loyalty and love knew no bounds.

He had a nickname for everyone and if he didn't know you yet he'd charmingly start with "bud". We can't even begin to describe what a memorable character Bill was. He was a proud man of faith and we know his journey is not over, but his loss will leave a void in us all. We are beyond heartbroken.

He is survived by his wife Tina and their two children Remli and Raef, his mother Judy Johnson, his brother Walter Perry Johnson Jr and wife Arden, his sister Stephanie Macakanja and husband Mike, his brother-in-law Bryan Bruce and wife Maida, his father-in-law Wayne Bruce, nieces Kate and Bella Macakanja and Taylor Womack and husband Dylan, nephews Christian and Schuyler Johnson, and Hunter and Kaleb Bruce, and a slew of aunts, uncles and cousins.

A celebration of Bill's life will be held at a future date. In the meantime, go throw a line and have a beer with Dad; we'll see you on the other side. Love you more.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been set up for Bill's family at:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-bill-fight-against-aggressive-leukemia?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer