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Show , Observes 80th Birthday Today ... I i )) S i j j Willis K. Johnson WiiiisK. Johnson, Weil-Known Church,' Civic Worker, Notes 80th Birthday A talented vocalist, Mr. Johnson John-son has rendered service as a choir member And as a soloist for many years and still sings with the ward choir. He is a great grandson of Aaron Johnson, founder of Springville and the town's first bishop. His father, also Willis Kelsey Johnson, John-son, was a pioneer of thi city coming here as a baby in the fall of 1850. Mr. Johnson married Eva Clark in the Salt Lake Temple, June 24, 1908, and each winter during the past several years, he and his wife have gone to St. George where they have made many acquaintances ac-quaintances and done considerable temple work. Their sons and daughters are: Willis K. Johnson and Harold C. Johnson of Springville; Mrs. Grant (Ruth) Huff, Lake Shore; Mrs. Glen (Rachel) Moulton, He-ber He-ber City; Mrs. Elmer (Mary) Wis-combe, Wis-combe, Frank C. and Calvin C. Johnson of Mapleton. There are also 30 grandchildren. Family members will gather at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Willis K. Johnson this evening to help Mr. Johnson celebrate the occasion occa-sion of his 80th birthday. Born in Springville, June 30, 1875, he is a life-long resident of this city and is well-known for his church and civic activities through the years. He attended schools in Springville Spring-ville and at the Brigham Young Academy in Provo and is a member mem-ber of the BYU Emeritus club, his graduating class having celebrated cel-ebrated its 50th anniversary in 1947. Mr. Johnson taught the seventh grade in Springville seven years and then took up farming, which he followed until his retirement a few years ago. He filled an LDS mission to England from 1897 to 1899. The eldest of a large family, Mr. Johnson, who is much younger in appearance than his years would indicate, learned at an early ago to work but he also recalls 1 with pleasure the recreation of the earlier days when he learned to swim in the old swimmin' hole west of town and knew the pleasure plea-sure of owning his own little pony and the fun to be had coasting, skating and dancing. As a young man he worked also as a bookkeeper for various construction con-struction companies. He has held many positions in the church having served as the Third ward bishop for ten years from 1914 to 1924. At this time the stake was organized and he was made a member of the High Council where he served IS years. Later he served as chairman of the High Priests in the Ninth ward. He served as chorister of the Third ward choir and was one of seven presidents of the Seventies Seven-ties quorum. |
