Bill (Dr. Will Ewing Johns Jr.) never met a person he couldn’t talk to, nor a colorful tie he would not wear.
He was born Will Ewing Johns, Jr. in Nashville, TN on May 20, 1932 and enjoyed a wonderful childhood growing up in Atlanta. His Father was Will Ewing Johns, Sr., and his mother was Nancy Settle Johns who had her own exciting story. His brother was David Rock Wheeler. Bill’s stories of growing up in Atlanta included lots of sandlot ball games, basketball games on the rooftops of the apartment, and living in the same house as Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With the Wind. He even almost walked off the steep end of Stone Mountain while on a Boy Scout adventure hike in the fog; never a dull moment. Bill was never afraid to show friends his report cards from youth with not many A’s or B’s, but he somehow graduated from Emory University.
Along the way, he gathered many great stories while serving in the Air Force and Navy. Among these is the one where he talked Air Force instructors into giving him “one more chance”, 3 times, to prove he could navigate in Pilot Training.
Before leaving Atlanta, he fell in love with Patsy Evyonne McElwaney and convinced her to marry him. They had two sons, Will Ewing Johns III (wife Beth Johns, children Will Ewing Johns IV and Mallory Anne Johns) and David Settle Johns (wife Vickie, children Andrew Johns and Elise Johns)
Bill taught high school at Fulton High, coached tennis, and was very active in Druid Hills Baptist Church. He later moved to Athens to begin a very long career with the University of Georgia and followed his passion for continued learning. While at UGA he ran the Student Center at Memorial Hall, and was very proud of helping to protect the first students integrating UGA while working part time in the UGA police force. In 1973 he completed his Doctoral work at UGA and made his mother very proud by earning his EdD and receiving the title, Doctor. He later moved to the Continuing Education Department where he served in several capacities, including Conference Coordinating, where he made lifelong friends and fell in love with the Strawberry Ice Cream Pie. He later moved to the night school program and was known as the Dean of that large and growing program when he retired.
In the meantime, he held the role of Executive Secretary of the Southeastern School for Alcohol and other Drug Studies; he was certified in Adlerian Psychology and continued his studies. He even had a second career at Truett McConnell, becoming the Dean of the Athens campus. Along the way he had time to become a Captain in the Civil Air Patrol. He and Evyonne enjoyed traveling to China and most of Europe and exploring most all of the US and Canada. Add to that the volunteer work he did teaching English with the International Friends Group in Athens for 10+ years, where he made new friends and forged relationships with people from around the world. He served with the Athens area Homeless Shelter, Food Bank and Library board.
His true love was building relationships with people and helping use those connections to live out his commitment to Christ. He will be remembered for his service at Green Acres Baptist Church in most any capacity he was needed, from prep and clean up and unlocking the doors, to leading searches for ministerial staff, Deacon service, and working on missions teams and even with children’s programs. You could find Bill leading Bible Studies, teaching at the local retirement home, and helping in the kitchen. The music program knew better than to get him involved with them. He found the Gideons to be a wonderful organization to help spread the message of God’s Love, and he dedicated many years with this group of committed men and women and was often seen on campus handing out Bibles.
As we said, Bill never met a stranger and his last weeks here on earth were spent making new friends even while in the hospital and touching lives in his own special way. A wonderful husband, an inspiring and irreplaceable father and grandfather, and an extraordinary giver of time to friends and church, he will be missed by many and his memory and inspiration will live on in our hearts.
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