William "Bill" Johnson Jr.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — William “Bill” Johnson was closing in on his 43rd anniversary with the Moultrie Fire Department when he passed away Monday at Colquitt Regional Medical Center.

Friends of Johnson, a battalion captain, said his legacy lives on throughout his family, friends and work colleagues.

Johnson worked his way up at the fire department, paid his dues and made lifetime bonds with other firefighters. He started with the Moultrie Fire Department on July 2, 1976; he was promoted to lieutenant Oct. 1, 1995, and on July 24, 2002 he was promoted to battalion captain, the position he served until his death.

Former Fire Chief Kenny Hannon reflected on the memory of his longtime friend and had nothing but good things to say about him.

“I knew him before I started in the department,” Hannon said. “We played in a few softball games together and then when I started at the fire department I started on the shift with him and we worked on that shift together for several years.

“All the experience I’ve had working with him was a good experience,” Hannon said. “He was educational, he coached me and taught me important things about fire service and was very dedicated to the Moultrie Fire Department, also a strong individual of his family.”

Current Fire Chief Lamar Plymel talked about what he is going to miss the most about his friend.

“I’m going to miss our conversations,” Plymel said. “Sometimes I would go to his office and talk to him one-on-one because me and him worked together for a long time and I valued his input. Sometimes he would come in my office and we would just talk for hours about what was going on. He would offer his advice all the time and I would listen, and I will miss talking to him as a friend and as a colleague.”

Plymel said the Moultrie Fire Department is in the process of making plans to honor Johnson’s legacy, but until then they are doing their part with helping his family prepare for the funeral.

Johnson leaves behind a big family: his wife, Brenda S. McAlpin Johnson; three daughters, Ashley Johnson, Christy Gailey, and Amy Gant; seven grandchildren, Morgan Broadway, Thomas Welch, Jordan Gailey, Kasey Gailey, Tyler Clark, Breanna Gant and Jaylin Gant; four great-grandchildren; and a sister, Becky Johnson Tucker.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 14, 2019, at Ione Freewill Baptist Church. For more information, see his obituary here.