Obituary of William McDuffie Johnson

William McDuffie Johnson William M. Johnson, 76, of Belfast, ME, passed away unexpectedly on July 27, 2010, in Bangor after a long and courageous battle with heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Born in Portland, ME on December 21, 1933, he was the only child of William Vose and Margaret McDuffie Johnson. He was a 1951 graduate of Deering High School in Portland and graduated in 1955 from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, with a major in Journalism and minor in Sociology. While at Rutgers, he met Linnea Gunnarson, his future wife. After college, he worked in the newsroom of the Plainfield, NJ Courier News, then enlisted in the Air Force and was editor in chief at the base newspapers for Turner AFB in Albany, GA, and McGuire AFB in Wrightstown, NJ, winning several top USAF newspaper awards. For the next 29 years, Bill worked in various public relations roles throughout Bell Laboratories and American Telephone and Telegraph (ATT). His first 11 years with Bell included a 2 ½ year assignment on Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, during the Nike X project. An avid classical music and high end audio buff, he started the first FM station on the island. From there he spent 2 years at NY Telephone Corporate headquarters in NYC, and finally 13 years at ATT corporate headquarters in Basking Ridge, NJ. He was speechwriter for the ATT Chairman of the Board and President, and a member of the steering committee concerned with the Public Relations aspect of the breakup of the Bell System in 1984. A resident of Chatham, NJ from 1963 to 1988, Bill loved to sing and act in community theater. He was a member of the Rutgers University Choir and Glee Club, Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church Choir (Plainfield, NJ), and the Somerset Hills Community Music Theater. His favorite role was as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. He was a member of Chatham Fish and Game, and loved to play the MC at the annual variety show in the summer. In 1989 he moved to Belfast, ME and was publisher and co-owner of North Country Press. A longtime member of Saint Margaret’s Episcopal Church, he enjoyed managing the Sunday afternoon concert series as well as singing in the sanctuary choir. His bass voice was also heard as a member of the Penobscot Bay Singers. Always one to give back to the community, he served as President of the board of volunteers for Waldo County Hospice. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Linnea, of Belfast, two sons, Eric, and his wife Heidi, of Manchester Center, VT and Chris, and his wife Eileen, of Topsham, ME and four grandsons, Drew and Devin of Manchester Center, and Brian and Steven of Topsham. A celebration of his life will be held at Saint Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Court and Elm Streets, in Belfast, on Saturday, August 7, at 10:00 am, followed by a time of fellowship in the parish hall. Memorial Donations can be made to St Margaret’s Episcopal Church or Waldo County Hospice. Arrangements under the care of Crabiel-Riposta Funeral Home, Belfast.