William ‘Bill’ Ryland Johnson Jr., age 70, died Sunday February 20, 2022, at Meadowbrook of Chetek, senior living.
Bill was born in Chippewa Falls WI on September 6, 1951 to William Sr. and Dorothy (Knuth) Johnson. After graduating from high school Bill attended the Wisconsin School for the Visual Handicapped in Janesville WI where he earned a degree in Music as a Certified Piano Tuner. Bill was blessed with Perfect Pitch. He could tell if instruments that were playing had dampners on effecting its tones, clarity and other musical values. He could listen to music and discern whether it was an electric keyboard vs. a true piano that was being played. It was also while in Janesville that he met his true love, Marie Ellen Larson, on April 10, 1970 both accompanied by their parents to Scotts discount store. Both Marie and Bill were attending the same school, and both went different directions at that time. Later they were reintroduced to each other and married on September 25, 1999, at the Osseo Country Club. Together, they bought a house and built a home, leaned on each other and were each other’s best friend.
Bill owned and operated Bill’s Piano Service out of Eau Claire for some 20 plus years. Nightly they would read to each other in Brail. Given the chance Bill could talk your ear off (Marie was the quiet one so it worked out well) Some said he was harmonically inclined with the ‘Tempo of Stevie Wonder’. He loved music like the Classical, Rock, Barbershop and rock’n’roll. He could play just about any instrument by sound, including the drums, bass fiddle, guitar, accordion, violin, banjo, juiceharp and the Piano. God bless our memories of Bill as his skills, talents and caring love will be missed by all who got to know him.
Surviving Bill are his loving wife Marie; his brothers Russel ‘Russ’ (Becky) Johnson and Michael ‘Mike’ (Christie) Johnson; his sisters Mary Johnson and Faith (Derek) Kresser; his nephews Kevin Johnson, Brady Johnson, David Lee Heath, Christopher Halvorson, Ryan Johnson, Chad Johnson, Cody Frank and Christopher Kresser; and his nieces Dawn Halvorson and Jennifer Halvorson, and other relatives and friends.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and a nephew Cory Frank.
Funeral Services for William will be Saturday February 26, 2022, at 2:00 PM at the Schiefelbein Funeral Home, 13507 Seventh St., in Osseo WI. Pastor Eldon Simoson will officiate. Burial at Upper Pigeon Creek will take place at a later date. Friends may call on the family during a visitation on Saturday from 1:00 to 2:00 PM before the service.
The Schiefelbein Funeral Home is serving the family, (715) 597-3711.
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