Billy & Beth Johnson

Beth and Billy Johnson were united in marriage for over 28 years and together they viewed their family as their greatest accomplishment. The Johnsons were loving and compassionate people, often setting aside their own needs to tend to the needs of others. Beth poured herself into the scrumptious dishes she made and Billy was known for making people laugh. Together they created a legacy marked by generosity and warmth for both each other and all those placed in their paths.

The 1950’s were a period in our nation’s history that is marked with families that worked together, played together, and vacationed together at family themed entertainment areas like national parks and the new Disneyland. Russell and Ethel (Pugh) Shelton, of Greenfield, Indiana were preparing for their own exciting family time as well; as Ethel was due to give birth to their baby at any time. They were indeed blessed on June 4, 1958 with the birth of their healthy daughter, Beth. Born as the fifth out of six children, Beth was an active girl who enjoyed the companionship of her siblings. She graduated from Morristown High School in 1977.

Also during this time in our nation’s history, James and Maxine (Hayworth) Johnson, of Indianapolis, Indiana were preparing for the birth of their fourth and final child. They were excited on June 13, 1959 with the birth of their first son, Billy. With three older sisters, Billy was well protected and cared for. Billy enjoyed an active childhood as well in Morgan County, Indiana. He attended and graduated from Mooresville High School in 1978. Education was important to Billy and after graduation from high school; he went on to graduate from Lincoln Tech and Indiana Business College.

Life became more fulfilling for both Beth and Billy when they were introduced to each other by Beth’s brother Keith. They dated for a couple of years and were later united in marriage on September 6, 1980 in a ceremony that Beth had dreamed about since she was a young girl. She had always wanted to have her wedding outside at her parent’s home, and that she did. Beth and Billy were married under a willow tree at Beth’s home in Fountaintown, Indiana, located in the central part of the state.

Both Billy and Beth worked hard in their careers through the years. Beth worked as a teacher’s aide at Newby Elementary in Mooresville, and later as the secretary to the athletic director at Mooresville High School. More recently, she had been employed as the secretary to the athletic director at Southmont Jr. /Sr. High School in New Market. Beth was successful in her work and was well respected at the schools in which she worked. Billy’s career began at Citizen’s Bank and he was also a Realtor for Century 21 in Mooresville. He then became employed for a number of years as the parts manager for Royce Motors, Inc. and for Online Transport, a trucking and logistics firm which is riding high as one of the fastest growing private companies in the Indianapolis area.

Beth and Billy were blessed with the births of their two sons, Brandon and Bradley. Beth embraced her role as a mother, nurturing and caring for her children in ways that made them each feel uniquely loved. She was active in their scouting ventures and arranged her work schedule to accommodate her sons’ schedules in the effective way that would allow her to be able to spend as much time with them as she could. Billy also treasured his sons and he shared his passion for fishing with them. He was the perfect picture of a family man, balancing his work with his time on the home front. Together Beth and Billy created memories with their sons during times spent camping, a favorite thing for both Beth and Billy.

When she wasn’t working or tending to the needs of her children, Beth pursued things that were of particular interest to her. She embraced animals, especially her dog Buddy that was a mixture of German shepherd and a Labrador retriever. Beth was an excellent cook who rarely followed a recipe.

Billy also had some hobbies that he enjoyed including sprint cars which he worked on for many years. He was a talented fisherman and was thrilled to take a fishing trip to Canada one year, bringing back fish that he took pride in showing off. Billy was talented with his hands and had more recently taken up woodworking. He also enjoyed his association with Morgan County Long Rifles, a muzzleloading club located in Martinsville, Indiana.

Beth Johnson was an outgoing woman who never met a stranger, she was genuine a friend to all. She was organized, empathetic and was always looking for ways in which she could help others. Billy Johnson was a man of many talents who like a ray of sunshine, warmed the lives of the people around him, striving not only to make them comfortable, but to have a few laughs as well. Together, the Johnsons nurtured a tender marriage where they were not only husband and wife, but friends who approached all things as a team. Beth and Billy were both sacrificial and compassionate people whose memory will be forever etched on the hearts of those they leave behind. They will both be deeply missed.

Beth Ann and Billy E. Johnson died tragically on December 26, 2008. Beth’s family includes her two sons, Brandon and Bradley Johnson; mother, Ethel Louise (Pugh) Johnson; brothers, Michael A. Shelton of Shelbyville and Jeffery W. Shelton of Avon; sister, Claudia Wagner of Camby. Beth was preceded in death by her father, Russell A. Shelton; brother Keith Shelton; sister Gail Shelton. In addition to their two sons, Bill’s survivors include his parents, Bill and Maxine (Hayworth) Johnson of Ladoga; sisters, Bonnie Louise Johnson of Brazil, Barbara Colleen Garret and Christine Clevenger, both of Indianapolis. Visit with Beth and Billy’s family on Tuesday, December 30, 2008, from 2 to 8 p.m., in the Carlisle & Son Funeral Chapel - Mooresville, IN. The funeral service will begin at 10 a.m., Wednesday, December 31, 2008, in The Church at Mt. Gilead, 6019 E. SR 144, Mooresville. Burial will be in White Lick Cemetery, Mooresville. Please visit Beth and Billy’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can share a personal memory, or offer an online condolence.