Mr. William M. Johnson graduated from the University of Tennessee in December 1958 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry.
At UT, Johnson was selected as a co-captain for the 1957 Volunteer football squad; he was voted an All-SEC and All-American guard. He was perhaps proudest of the fact that he was the first All-American and Academic All-American for the University. During his college career, he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He served as one of three Army ROTC battalion commanders during his senior year. Johnson received many other campus recognitions, most notably the Torchbearer Award, the highest award bestowed on a UT undergraduate. He also served as the Scabbard and Blade president.
After his military service, Johnson returned to Sparta, Tennessee. He soon went to work at the First National Bank, a locally owned institution, and was eventually both a member of the board of directors and president. He was well respected in banking circles and served as the Tennessee vice-president of the American Bankers Association and director of the Federal Reserve Bank in Nashville.
Johnson lived by the motto “It is more blessed to give than receive,” and give he did. He was a tireless worker for his beloved UT, serving on the Athletics Board from 1972-1974 before being elected to the Board of Trustees in 1975; he served as vice-chairman of the Board from 1987-1991, retiring from this prestigious body in 1996. He was also a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, serving as a director; he served in a director capacity of the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.
Mr. Johnson died on September 13, 2020. His wife, Rena, resides in Sparta.
