Roll Call Tribute
William "Carroll" Johnson '71 August 10, 2021 11:30 AM updated: August 10, 2021 1:36 PM
Dr. William Carroll Johnson
July 22nd, 1936 - July 28, 2021
Dr. William Carroll Johnson, age 85 of Cushing, Oklahoma, died Wednesday, July 28th after a life of shooting guns, eating a lot of rich foods, and good beer.
Carroll was born on July 22nd, 1936, in Sweetwater, Texas to Mildred (Williams) Johnson and Neely Johnson.
Carroll's career included 23 years as a professor of mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and 9 years at Texas A&M. After graduating high-school he started college at Texas A&M until money ran low when he began roustabout work on drilling rigs. Carroll was working for Convair in Fort Worth where he met, and married, Emma Jane (Graham) Johnson on March 1, 1958. The young couple moved to Midland, Texas and started a family, having a son and a daughter. During this time, he worked for General Tire and Rubber Company, transferring to their Waco factory to begin classes at Baylor University. Upon completing a degree in math and science, Carroll moved the family to Austin, Texas where he worked for Tracor, running the plant, until it was sold. He then moved to the Dallas area and went to work for Texas Instruments. After a year, Carroll decided to go back to School and received 2 degrees, his Master and PHD in Industrial Engineering. He continued to teach classes there until he took a job at the University of Texas at El Paso. After retirement, he did freelance work for A&M and TXDot.
As a professor he was much loved and respected by his students. He was considered cantankerous by administration which he had a "healthy disrespect for". During his teaching he was a leader in coordinating several unique learning opportunities for his students such as the Mini Baja and Alternative fuels race. He was a respected colleague and remained close friends with many of his students and collaborators. He established himself as an experienced leader in safety training for professionals though he refused to adhere to those lessons in personal life. (In one instance, he cut giant tree branches with a chainsaw over his head, while standing in a tractor's bucket.) He spent 20 years "retired" in the community of Brownwood, Texas, where he ranched, talked the ears off of anyone who would listen, hunted (hog - deer - dove) when in season, and shot a lot of ammo with the grandkids or anyone else who would participate firing into the (now lead-poisoned) pond on the property.
He was an accomplished prankster, story teller, and an inventively convincing liar. He truly enjoyed using these abilities in "teaching" his children (along with any other innocent) the value of research, questioning authority figures, and not taking things at face value.
Carroll gained popularity for his darkly inane sense of humor and dry acidic wit which could get him in trouble. Despite this, he had a heart of gold and deeply cared for his great big extended family. He often went out of his way to help those he loved and cared about. Fiercely loyal, Carroll accumulated many friendships from all walks of life as long as they listened to his highly embellished tales served with his Texan braggadocio. He was a man's man and expected to be waited on in kingly style to the chagrin of the women in his life, who begrudgingly, in saint like fashion let him live to the ripe old age of 85. A tribute to their incredible patience and love for him.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his (Sister) Naomi Moore.
Carroll is survived by his "saintly" wife Emma Jane (Janie) (Graham) Johnson, and children: William Carroll Johnson Jr. (Bill) and his wife Jill (Snyder) Johnson and the better child who is writing this, and therefore can get away with anything: Jennifer Lynn Johnson (Lynnie) and her partner Thane Morgan. Brother: Gary Daryl Johnson and wife Marcy, Nieces and Nephew: Sherry, Delinda, and Kevin. Grandchildren: Daniel and wife Pascale, Laurel and husband Matt, and Elizabeth Snyder. Great Grandchildren: Hugo, Parker, Louise, and ? (The one on the way). Extended Children: Kirk Snyder and his wife Leigh, Terry Snyder and his wife Penny.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: The Cowboy Cemetery Association, Karen Fair, Treasurer, P.O. Box 552, Brownwood, Texas,
76804.
Or to the John Levosky fund at the University of Texas at El Paso.
At a later time, a celebration of life and memorial gathering is planned at the Cowboy Cemetery near Mercury and Placid, Texas.
© Copyright Gannett 2021
July 22nd, 1936 - July 28, 2021
Dr. William Carroll Johnson, age 85 of Cushing, Oklahoma, died Wednesday, July 28th after a life of shooting guns, eating a lot of rich foods, and good beer.
Carroll was born on July 22nd, 1936, in Sweetwater, Texas to Mildred (Williams) Johnson and Neely Johnson.
Carroll's career included 23 years as a professor of mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and 9 years at Texas A&M. After graduating high-school he started college at Texas A&M until money ran low when he began roustabout work on drilling rigs. Carroll was working for Convair in Fort Worth where he met, and married, Emma Jane (Graham) Johnson on March 1, 1958. The young couple moved to Midland, Texas and started a family, having a son and a daughter. During this time, he worked for General Tire and Rubber Company, transferring to their Waco factory to begin classes at Baylor University. Upon completing a degree in math and science, Carroll moved the family to Austin, Texas where he worked for Tracor, running the plant, until it was sold. He then moved to the Dallas area and went to work for Texas Instruments. After a year, Carroll decided to go back to School and received 2 degrees, his Master and PHD in Industrial Engineering. He continued to teach classes there until he took a job at the University of Texas at El Paso. After retirement, he did freelance work for A&M and TXDot.
As a professor he was much loved and respected by his students. He was considered cantankerous by administration which he had a "healthy disrespect for". During his teaching he was a leader in coordinating several unique learning opportunities for his students such as the Mini Baja and Alternative fuels race. He was a respected colleague and remained close friends with many of his students and collaborators. He established himself as an experienced leader in safety training for professionals though he refused to adhere to those lessons in personal life. (In one instance, he cut giant tree branches with a chainsaw over his head, while standing in a tractor's bucket.) He spent 20 years "retired" in the community of Brownwood, Texas, where he ranched, talked the ears off of anyone who would listen, hunted (hog - deer - dove) when in season, and shot a lot of ammo with the grandkids or anyone else who would participate firing into the (now lead-poisoned) pond on the property.
He was an accomplished prankster, story teller, and an inventively convincing liar. He truly enjoyed using these abilities in "teaching" his children (along with any other innocent) the value of research, questioning authority figures, and not taking things at face value.
Carroll gained popularity for his darkly inane sense of humor and dry acidic wit which could get him in trouble. Despite this, he had a heart of gold and deeply cared for his great big extended family. He often went out of his way to help those he loved and cared about. Fiercely loyal, Carroll accumulated many friendships from all walks of life as long as they listened to his highly embellished tales served with his Texan braggadocio. He was a man's man and expected to be waited on in kingly style to the chagrin of the women in his life, who begrudgingly, in saint like fashion let him live to the ripe old age of 85. A tribute to their incredible patience and love for him.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his (Sister) Naomi Moore.
Carroll is survived by his "saintly" wife Emma Jane (Janie) (Graham) Johnson, and children: William Carroll Johnson Jr. (Bill) and his wife Jill (Snyder) Johnson and the better child who is writing this, and therefore can get away with anything: Jennifer Lynn Johnson (Lynnie) and her partner Thane Morgan. Brother: Gary Daryl Johnson and wife Marcy, Nieces and Nephew: Sherry, Delinda, and Kevin. Grandchildren: Daniel and wife Pascale, Laurel and husband Matt, and Elizabeth Snyder. Great Grandchildren: Hugo, Parker, Louise, and ? (The one on the way). Extended Children: Kirk Snyder and his wife Leigh, Terry Snyder and his wife Penny.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: The Cowboy Cemetery Association, Karen Fair, Treasurer, P.O. Box 552, Brownwood, Texas,
76804.
Or to the John Levosky fund at the University of Texas at El Paso.
At a later time, a celebration of life and memorial gathering is planned at the Cowboy Cemetery near Mercury and Placid, Texas.
© Copyright Gannett 2021
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