Bill Johnson — 1931-2016

Three-term El Dorado County supervisor Bill Johnson has died.

William Van Dyke Johnson was part of the pioneer family that helped create South Lake Tahoe before it was even a city.

Bill Johnson

Mr. Johnson died Dec. 19, 2016. He was 85.

He was born at the J Lazy J Ranch on Mottsville Lane in Gardnerville on March 21, 1931. He graduated from Gardnerville High School class of 1949. 

Mr. Johnson served two years in the Korean War in the Army. Upon being discharged he went to San Francisco where he went to hotel and restaurant management school.

It was on Aug. 29, 1953, that he married Felice Muldoon in South Lake Tahoe. He was in the property management business for nearly 20 years.

In 1969, the voters elected him to represent Tahoe on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, where he served for 12 years. He was instrumental in convincing the county to sell Lake Tahoe Airport to the city – and at a favorable price for South Lake Tahoe. The bill — $1.

Mr. Johnson along with his sister Marjorie Springmeyer and brother Knox Johnson gave land to the city for what is now the city-county government complex on Johnson Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe.

As an elected official, Mr. Johnson was on various boards, including the Tahoe Basin Transportation Authority for nine years, Tahoe Transportation District, and Highway 50 study corridor group.

More recently Mr. Johnson and his wife had property in Camino where they ran Bills Apples and Felices Dolls.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Felice, and sister Marjorie Johnson Springmeyer.

Mr. Johnson is survived his sons, Ross, Kent and Curtis; brother Knox; daughters-in-law; four grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

There were no services. Donations may be made in Mr. Johnson’s name to any veterans group.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report