Asheville - William "Bill" Carey Johnson, 78, of Asheville, passed away at his home on Sunday, August 26, 2007, after a long illness. During his final hours, he was comforted by his wife, his three children and friends.

Bill, born on September 10, 1928, was the son of C. Walton "Chief" Johnson and Karen E. "Mrs. Chief" Poole Johnson of Weaverville, NC. His family developed and ran Camp Sequoyah for Boys from 1923 until 1968. He was preceded in death by his brother, Harold Walton Johnson of Seattle, Washington.

During WWII, Bill served in the Army/Air Force maintaining the early warning radar on the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska. He has lived in Western North Carolina, Alaska, Washington D.C., Miami, and the Virgin Islands.

During Bill's life he had several very different careers; starting with running Camp Sequoyah, to building a successful construction company in St. Croix, to his best known role in real estate marketing and development here in WNC. He was a strong supporter of land owners' rights and served with distinction on the Buncombe County Board of Equalization and Review, the Asheville Planning and Zoning Commission, and was recognized by the Council of Independent Business Owners for his work.

Bill enjoyed the companionship of good friends in the wilderness, doing things right the first time and ignoring conventional wisdom when his life's lessons showed the ignorance of following the crowd. Few men understood the pragmatic results of the man's actions applied to real world circumstances better than Bill Johnson. He was generous and forgiving to those that could not help themselves and had little patience for capable people failing to think and provide for themselves.

Bill is survived by his wife, Trula Kirkpatrick Johnson; his children, Lynn Johnson, Attorney at Law and her husband, James Langford of Tacoma, WA, Carey Michael Johnson, Attorney at Law and his wife, Anne Ellington Johnson of Atlanta, GA and Mitchell Edward Johnson, City Manager, City of Greensboro, and his wife Suzanne Collier Johnson of Greensboro, NC; five grandchildren, Jason Mitchell and Sarah Reece Johnson both of Atlanta and Rachel Elizabeth, Natalie Michelle and Mark Patrick Johnson all of Greensboro, NC; his sister, Karen Conway of Gastonia; and his cousin, Sally Ellington Middleton of Asheville.

Friends and associates are invited to join the family for an outdoor celebration of Bill's life, to be held at the home of Dr. Stan E. Willett and his wife, Pattie Claridge, 38 Peach Knob Drive, Mountain Meadows; Saturday, September 8, 2007 from 2:00 until 4:00. Light refreshments will be served.

There will be a private family service in Clayton, NC.

Our father's wish is that his friends and associates might remember a life well lived and to refrain from sending flowers or donations. The family would appreciate any notes or remembrances of Bill They can be sent in care of the Johnson Family, 202 Parkmont Drive, Greensboro, NC 27408.