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Washington County native W. Russell Johns, 95, died Nov. 15, 2007, at the Arbor Manor in Fremont. Services were Monday, Nov. 19, at the Jaynes Street Community Church in Omaha. Interment was in the Blair Cemetery.

William Russell Johns was born May 17, 1912, on the family farm near Blair to Arthur and Hattie (Bradley) Johns. He grew up on the farm, attended grade school, and graduated from Blair High School in 1930. Most of his spare time was spent helping his family with the daily chores on the farm. He also had a milk route in the Blair area.

On May 26, 1935, he married Doris Whit at the Church of God in Blair.

Mr. Johns worked as a milkman for several companies in the Omaha area and for a seed company in Aurora before moving to Bennington to work at Nelson Produce, his brother-in-law’s feed store. In 1959, he purchased the store and ran it until his retirement.

He enjoyed church football, “All-Star Wrestling,” and “Lawrence Welk.” He was active in his community, serving on the fire department, Lions Club, the Omaha Airport Authority, and served for 17 years as the mayor of Bennington. His years of dedication were acknowledged by having a local park named in his honor.

But his passion was his faith: he was active in his church, Gideon International, and was proud to share his love of the Lord with everyone.

He loved the time he could spend with his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, playing “Sorry” and “Scrabble.”

He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Ronald and Nancy of Sun City, Ariz., and Dean and Kay of Bennington; daughter, Janet Johns of San Francisco, Calif.; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Mary Barnes of Greenbriar, Ark.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris; four brothers and four sisters.

Hadan-Golden-Reichmuth in Bennington was in charge of arrangements.

Omaha World Herald 17 Nov 2007

By Abe Winter World-Herald Staff Writer

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Russell Johns helped Bennington flourish

Russell Johns, the longtime chairman of the Bennington Village Board, should be remembered as a businessman and public servant who contributed much to the growth of the town, his successor said Friday.

Johns died Thursday in Fremont at age 95.

Bill Bohn, who succeeded Johns and served as Bennington’s board chairman – and then mayor – from 1978 to 1996, worked alongside Johns for eight years on the Village Board.

“He was the type of person who used good, common sense in making important decisions for Bennington,” Bohn said. “Bennington was going through a lot of changes, a lot of growth, and he was involved in a lot of things we had to address.”

Kay Johns described her father-in-law as a “very loving, caring, giving, Christian man.”

She said Johns lived a productive life both in retirement and during his working years at Nelson Produce, where he started in 1944. He purchased the business in 1959 and sold it in 1979.

Johns served as Village Board chairman from 1962 until 1978, when he didn’t seek re-election.

He was a member of the Bennington Volunteer Fire Department for 17 years. He helped organize fund drives to purchase Bennington’s first fire truck.

Johns received the Community Service Award from the Western Douglas County Chamber of Commerce in 1990.

Johns and his wife, Doris, who died in 1998, had three children – daughter Janet of San Francisco and sons Ron of Sun City, Ariz., and Dean of Bennington. Other survivors include nine grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

The funeral service is 1 p.m. Monday at Jaynes Street Community Church, 7534 Jaynes St., Omaha.

Omaha World Herald 17 Nov 2007

Johns-W. Russell age 95 years of Bennington, NE. Survived by sons and daughters-in-law Ronald and Nancy of Sun City, AZ and Dean and Kay of Bennington, NE; daughter Janet Johns of San Francisco, CA; 9 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. Sister Mary Barnes of Greenbriar, AR. Visitation Sunday from noon to 7 with family receiving friends from 4 to 7 at the funeral home. Funeral Monday at 1 PM at Jaynes Street Community Church (7534 Jaynes St). Interment Blair Cemetery. Memorials to the church or Gideons International.

Hadan-Golden-Reichmuth Bennington, NE 402-289-2291

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~