Obituary of CMSgt William "Bill" Ronald Johnson, U.S. Force,

CMSgt William "Bill" Johnson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, passed away June16, 2022. During his lifetime, he loved, stood proudly, and faithfully served his country in the United States Air Force for over thirty years. He was 87 years old.Bill was born on February 25, 1935 to Herbert and Esther Johnson in Chicago, Illinois. When Bill was very young, his family was stationed on Oahu, Hawaii, and was on the island during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Bill related that he and his mother could hear the sounds of the attack in the far distance. As a result of the chaos that ensued, Bill and his mother did not hear from his father, a Navy sailor, for over three weeks. Only when Bill's dad came walking up to their quarters, did they know he was safe.Despite his diminutive stature, Bill received an invitation to join the New York Yankees organization in their farm team system but decided that the Air Force would provide a more secure choice as a career. Bill was still able to play a lot of baseball, as he was sought after by many different Air Force teams active during his career. He was very fast and had a great arm. He thought he just needed to be a better hitter.Bill entered into the radar defense arm of the Air Force and spent many years on duty in the remotest stations around the world. Because of his expertise and dedication, Bill rose to the top ranks as a Noncommissioned Officer. He was known to serve and to lead his troops, as well as provide professional assistance to his superiors. He was the "Master Chief" that got things done.After his third "retirement", Bill became an avid golfer and attacked the sport in a scientific manner with his boundless enthusiasm. As he demonstrated in life, a bad shot was just a step to the next great recovery. He just kept coming back.Bill is survived by his wife of eighteen years, Karen K. (Rovig-Blancett) Johnson; son, Michael Johnson; and daughter, Michelle Stefancic; and, as he often stated, he was a "very lucky guy", to have been adopted by Karen's family of three brothers and their wives plus numerous nephews, nieces, and grandchildren. He was "Grandpa Bill" to us all. We surely miss him but are blessed to know he is with his folks---probably watching baseball. Events Graveside Monday, July 11, 2022 10:00AM Pikes Peak National Cemetery 10545 Drennan Road Colorado Springs, CO 80925 Phone: 202-632-8035 Memorial Service Monday, July 11, 2022 12:00PM Ascension Lutheran Church 2505 North Circle Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Phone: 719-634-1694