Burton E Johnson

Burton Johnson, 91, of rural Princeton died at his home Friday at 12:20pm. Born April 10th, 1918, in Bureau Township to Fred and Ada (Jontz) Johnson, he married Ruth Andersen on August 9, 1941, at her home in rural Princeton. They celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary together this past August. He graduated from Bureau Township High School in 1936 and worked with his father on the family farm where he was born. He took over the family farm when his parents moved to Franklin Grove in 1948 and was a long time grain, cattle, and hog farmer in Bureau Township and a member of the Bureau County Farm Bureau. He was active in many organizations and was a member of the school board for Wyanet High School, a board member for Bureau County and Wyanet Mutual Insurance Company, Trustee and Supervisor for Bureau Township, Golden Harvest Seed Corn dealer, and Bureau Township Republican precinct committeeman. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Manlius where he served as a trustee, deacon, Sunday School teacher and clerk for over 50 years. He served on numerous church committees. He loved music and he and his wife Ruth sang many duets. He also sang as part of a men''s quartet. He is survived by a son Gary (Charlotte) Johnson of Bull Valley, IL; three grandchildren, Benjamin Johnson of North Adams, MA; Stephanie (Jacob) Epstein of Monument, CO; and Andrew (Sarah) Johnson of Old Town, ME; a great-grand-daughter Alexandra Epstein of Monument, CO; a sister Reva (William) Brierton of Franklin Grove, IL, a niece Diana (Michael, son Jett) Hartmann of Lakemoor, IL, and nephew Thomas (Cynthia, daughters Paige and Julia) Brierton of Lovettsville, VA. His wife, parents, and brother Charles R. Johnson preceded him in death. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. March 15th at the Grant-Johnson Funeral Home, 30 West Mechanic Street, Princeton. His funeral will be held March 16th at the First Baptist Church of Manlius at 10a.m.; Pastor Don Winters officiating. Pall Bearers will be Greg Dabler, Roy Larson, William Isaacson, Don Johnson, Alan Madison, and Ron Swanson. Interment will be at the Princeton Oakland Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to: Wyanet Rescue Unit, 100 South Maple Street, Wyanet, IL; First Baptist Church of Manlius, 19501 1200 East Street, Wyanet, IL; Hospice of the Rock River Valley, 264 Route 2, Dixon, IL; Burton & Ruth Johnson Scholarship for Music at Judson University, 1151 North State Street, Elgin, IL; or the Ruth & Burton Johnson Scholarship for Ministerial Education at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, 660 East Butterfield Road, Lombard, IL.