WILLIAM JOHANSON

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WILLIAM (BILL) JOHANSON January 21, 1946 - January 3, 2015 Peacefully on Saturday, January 3, 2015, with family by his side, Bill passed away at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg at the age of 68. He was predeceased by his father William in 1980, his mother Myrtle in 2014, and his sister Inez in 2012. He was also predeceased by his mother-in-law Kay and father-in-law Albert Eames. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Laverne, his children: Billy (Lori), Michael (Laura), Richard (Pam), Dennis (Ashley) and Keri (Garrett), as well as his grandchildren: Haley, William, Katey, Devon, Mason, and Sophia. He is also survived by his brothers, Bruce (Gale) and Leslie (Evelyn), and sisters, Judy (Dave), Linda (Keith) and Colleen (Dave), as well as in-laws: Doug (Linda), Allan (Carol), Carol (Dale), and Linda, and many nieces, nephews and friends. For many years, Bill was a truck driver but his true passion was for restoring vehicles. For many years, he operated his own truck repair business in Selkirk. When his health would no longer allow him to maintain a business, he still enjoyed the challenge of taking apart and rebuilding a broken vehicle. As his children grew older and he taught them how to drive, he did his best to make sure there was a vehicle ready for them. Bill enjoyed meeting his friends at Tim Hortons or A&W for coffee. Some of his other favourite things were candies and diet Pepsi, two things he was rarely without. He also adored his special cat, Spook who looks for him every day. In keeping with Bill's wishes, cremation has taken place and a private family service will follow at a later date. The family gives special thanks to Dr. J. Embil and all the doctors who were there to assist Bill in leading a good life in spite of his many health issues. Thank-you to the staff at Selkirk and District General Hospital and Health Sciences Centre for their care during this tough time. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a charity of your choice. Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk in care of arrangements. www.gilbartfuneralhome.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 10, 2015