Judge William C. "Bill" Johnson, Jr., 85, of Daytona Beach, died peacefully at home surrounded by family on November 9, 2015.

A native of Providence, R.I., Bill was born March 25, 1930. At age five, he contracted polio, from which he recovered following several years of treatment and physical therapy. He attended parochial schools and worked for one year after graduating from LaSalle Academy. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in history from Brown University in 1953 and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Virginia in 1958, with the title of Juris Doctor conferred in 1970.

Bill was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953, during the Korean War, and two years later was honorably discharged. He would later serve with top security clearance both as an active-duty lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1959-1961 and then as an officer in the U.S. Navy Intelligence Ready Reserve until 1984, having attained the rank of Commander.

It was at Brown's homecoming in 1955 that Bill met Elfreda Senning (Elfie). In 1957, the two married and moved to Charlottesville, Va.; they celebrated 58 years of marriage this past April.

After a year of law practice in Richmond, Va., and a two-year naval assignment in New Orleans, Bill and Elfreda finally settled in Daytona Beach in May of 1962. He worked as an assistant public defender for eleven years and also had his own general law practice for 20 years.

In 1984, Bill was elected to the office of Circuit Judge, Seventh Judicial Circuit (which covers Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties). He was reelected in 1996 and continued to work in all divisions of the court for a total of 28 years until his retirement in 2002. He presided over cases as a Senior Judge for nine years thereafter.

Through the years, Bill was involved with many organizations. His memberships include the Volusia County Bar Association, Florida Bar Association, Virginia Bar Association, American Legion, Oyster Run Society, Daytona Beach Navy League (charter member and past president), and Naval Intelligence Professionals. He also served on the board of directors for both Volusia County's Serenity House and Tiger Bay Club. He was a local Boy Scout/Cub Scout troop committee chairman, Little League baseball assistant manager and YMCA basketball assistant coach. He has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards for service to the community. He followed current events closely. He enjoyed going to the beach, swimming laps at Lemerand Pool, crossword puzzles, listening to music, dancing, rooting for the Boston Celtics, and no-holds-barred games of Chinese Checkers.

Judge Bill was admired and respected by all who knew him and worked with him because of the high ethical standards that characterized his professional and personal conduct. He had a tremendous and evident reverence for the law and for the promotion of justice. He was proud of his working-class origins and the diversity of jobs he had in his youth (e.g., farmhand, busboy, mail carrier, soda jerk, construction worker, switchboard operator, etc.). He felt this background gave him a greater understanding of people, their problems and their lives that was well-suited to his position as a judge. Bill leaves behind a legacy of steadfast character, integrity, courage and fairness. He is and always will be deeply loved by his family, to whom he was relentlessly devoted, sharing his love and sage advice with characteristic humor and grace.

Bill is pre-deceased by his daughter, Georgia Lee Johnson. He is survived by his wife Elfreda; sons: William John Temple Johnson; Thomas William Christopher Johnson; daughter Caroline Johnson Bellis; grandchildren: Christopher R. Coello; Jennifer Catherine Bellis; Corey Bellis Moore (Gary); and great-grandson Kyle Liam Moore.

Visitation for Judge Johnson will be this Friday, November 20, at Lohman Funeral Home in Ormond Beach from 4pm - 8pm., with prayers at 7 p.m. The funeral will take place at St. James Episcopal Church in Ormond Beach on Saturday November 21, at 3 p.m. Burial will be at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, R.I.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches (P.O. Box 2000, Boys Ranch, FL 32064).