William Burnell “Wallboard” Johnson – 92 – of 48 Scott St., Hornell, passed away on Tuesday (May 20, 2014) at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, following a brief illness.
Born in Bradford, Pennsylvania on March 22, 1922, he was a son of Hugh F. and Florence (Disney) Johnson.
Bill grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of St. Ann’s School and later graduated from Hornell High School (class of 1941). He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U. S. Coast Guard from 1942 – 1945 in the Asia-Pacific Theater of War. He was employed for 42 years at the Erie Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad, the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, retiring as an engineer from the Delaware and Hudson Railroad in 1983.
He was married on December 7, 1946 at St. Ignatius Loyola Church to the former Doris McKee who died on January 27, 1989. Together they owned and operated Terry’s Tavern in Hornell for 13 years.
Bill was one of the original parishioners of St. Ignatius Loyola Church. He was a former member of the Knights of Columbus, the Arthur Cunningham Post of the American Legion, the J. J. Mooney Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Hornell Association and a 48 year member of the Hornell Elks Lodge # 364.
Bill had a deep love for his family, and took great joy in all family events and activities. He loved watching his sons and later his grandchildren participate in sports, musical and dance events. He was an avid golfer and a charter member of Twin Hickory Golf Club.







