William Johnson

A Funeral service for William O. Johnson, 94, of Sentinel Butte, will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 11, 2013 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Beach with Rev. Scott Hojnacki officiating. Burial will take place in Sentinel Butte Cemetery.


Visitation for Bill will be 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Friday at the church prior to the service.


Bill passed away Sunday, October 6, 2013 at Wibaux County Nursing Home in Wibaux, MT.


William O. Johnson was born July 11, 1919 in Sentinel Butte, the son of Hjalmer and Ruth (Smith) Johnson. He was raised in the badlands and lived there all his life. He served in World War II as a combat engineer, serving in Aleutians, European and Pacific Theaters. Bill married Adellas Brockmeyer on June 7, 1957. After their marriage, they lived on the farm near Sentinel Butte. Bill ran a building operation for a few years throughout North Dakota. He and his brother were in partnership ranching and farming for several years before he ran his own operation. He enjoyed riding horseback and spending time with his good friend Al Stude. Bill, also known as Fiddlin’ Bill, was passionate about his hobby of Old Time Fiddling. He started fiddling at an early age, playing mostly by ear. He won many awards throughout North Dakota, Montana and Canada, including ND Country & Western top instrumentalist and inductee into the Old-Time Fiddlers Hall of Fame. He was instrumental in the startup of the Old Time Fiddle Contest at the International Peace Garden as well as an award winning judge for fiddling contests. Bill had taken his time and his love of music to bring pleasure to many in North Dakota and surrounding states. He completed his album “Fiddlin’ Bill Johnson – Toe Tappin’ Tunes” with the help of the Tibor Brothers. Bill will be remembered as the fiddler, the cowboy and the soft-spoken gentleman with a romance in his soul. Bill was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Beach.


Bill is survived by sister-in-law, Janice Johnson; sister-in-law and longtime accompanist, Wilma Hayden; brother-in-law, Vernon Brockmeyer; sister-in-law, Betty Brockmeyer; and numerous nieces and nephews.


He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Adellas; brothers, Carl and Jim; and sister, E. Mary Wirtzfeld.


Click to View Program (PDF)


Burial Date: October 11, 2013
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Funeral Service: Friday: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Beach, ND