Name Unknown

William "Bill" Ferd Johnson, 85, of Sullivan died at 2:37 a.m. Thursday, July 21, 2005 in his residence. He was born September 5, 1919 in Merom to Ferd H. Johnson and Estella Clarissa Fleming Johnson. The retired farmer and member of the First Presbyterian Church served sixteen years as the State Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Services Director in Indianapolis under Presidents Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Ronald W. Reagan and George W. Bush. He served as the Agricultural Liaison in Indiana four years for United States Senator Richard G. Lugar and was a member of the Indiana and National Hampshire Swine Registry Association. Director and vice president of the Indiana SPF Swine Association, Simmental Cattle Association, the Shropshire Sheep Association, the Farm Bureau and the Sullivan County Extension Advisory Board. He was also chairman of the Sullivan County Soil and Water Conservation Board, the Busseron Conservancy and Watershed District and the Sullivan County ASCS Committee. He served four terms as director of the Indiana State Fair Board, was a past president of the Sullivan County Park and Lake Board and a founder of The Merom Brotherhood. He was a past president of the Merom Improvement Association and the Indiana Soybean Association. He was a twenty six year member of the Sullivan County 4-H Fair Board, a member of the Farm Bureau, the Sullivan Elks Lodge #911, the Merom Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite and the Murat Shrine. He was a member of the Sullivan County Tourism Board, the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce, the Wabash Valley Association, the Dixie Bee US 41 Federation and a trustee of Vincennes University . In 2004 he was honored as a Sagamore of the Wabash Valley by Gov. Joe Kernan. His was preceded in death by his parents and two grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife of sixty three years Constance "Connie" Pleasant Johnson of Sullivan whom he married September 5, 1941, four daughters Sue Ellen Johnson Chappell and husband Bruce of Cave Creek, AZ, Nancy Jeanine Johnson Tomey and husband Bob of Merom, Constance Louise Johnson Wesner and husband Brian of Greenwood and Julia Ann Johnson Sheffler and husband Dan of Sullivan, one brother Wayne Fleming Johnson of Bloomington, two sisters Norma Jean Johnson O'Neal of Marietta, GA and Eloise Johnson Vinson Murphy of Macon, GA, nine grandchildren Lori Chappell Briggs and husband Andy, William Johnson Chappell and wife Christine, Jennifer Tomey, Jeanine Tomey, Jacqueline Tomey, Chris Wesner and wife Kerry, David Wesner, Sara Sheffler and Matthew Sheffler, five great grandchildren Annie, Emma Issac and Ava Wesner and Kristin Briggs and other relatives.

Services were at 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 25, 2005 in the Holmes Memorial Chapel. Rev. Paul McGlasson officiated. Burial was in the Merom Cemetery . Soloist was Dan Sheffler. Pallbearers were Bruce Chappell, Bob Tomey, Brian Wesner, Dan Sheffler, William Chappell, Chris Wesner, David Wesner and Matthew Sheffler.