William B. Johnson ’31

William Buswell or "Boatbas" Johnson was born in Kuling, Kiangsi, China, on Aug. 31, 1908, and died on Feb. 20, 1999, in Santa Cruz, Calif. He also lived in Nanchang and Shanghai, China and Polo, Ill. Along the way he attended Kuling American School and the Shanghai American School, and ended up in Polo, Ill., before matriculating at Princeton, where he was treas. of the University Club for four years.

Like his father, Bill decided to enter the Methodist ministry and by 1934 had earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree at the Garrett Bible Institute in Evanston, Ill. In subsequent years, he served churches in Lovelock, Nev., and in Gilroy, San Mateo, and San Bruno, Calif. He later became pastor of the Methodist Church in Sunnyvale, Calif., where he remained until he retired in 1973.

During the war, he lived in San Bruno and was on the board of the local USO. He was active in Community Chest, the American Red Cross, and the YMCA. He also remained a member of the Califomia-Nevada Annual Conference of the Methodist Church.

Bill is survived by his wife, Mary Selden, one son, Keith S., one daughter, Sylvia Johnson, and one grandchild. The class extends its deepest sympathy to the entire family.

The Class of 1931