Beech Tree News Network

"Sometimes a single act or gesture can make an impact that lasts for generations.  Today we are celebrating a gentleman whose desire to see this property preserved for Butler County became a reality.  The Butler County Park at Woodbury is celebrating 40 years, thanks to the efforts of Judge Clay Johnson," said Tommy Hines during his opening remarks on Saturday at the Green River Museum.

Clay Johnson's only surviving sibling, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, family and friends gathered as the Green River Museum honored his memory.  Johnson's name was added to a plaque maintained by the museum.

Clay Johnson was born in Butler County to Norwood and Maggie Shain Johnson on January 29, 1917.  He married Marguerite Bunch in 1940 and they had seven children:  Anita, Darrel, Ronnie, Delores, Phillip, Gayle and Ralph.  Clay worked in several capacities in his lifetime.  He delivered coal and ice (Milton Clark remembered as a child following Mr. Johnson’s ice truck and getting a chuck of ice from him as a treat), owned several service stations, operated a wrecker service, and had a furniture and appliance business.  In 1958 he was elected Sheriff of Butler County and in 1973 he was elected County Judge.

Clay’s son, Phillip, remembered his Dad this way, that he “never met a stranger.  If he walked into a restaurant he didn’t look for an empty table, but looked for someone sitting alone or a table with people at it.  He would say ‘I’m Clay Johnson, what’s your name?’ and would know all about them before he would leave.”

While he was County Judge, Clay Johnson saw to it that the former Corps of Engineers property at Woodbury was deeded to Butler County instead of being designated surplus property.  It became the Butler County Park in 1974, just a year before Judge Johnson passed away.

"We, in Butler County, are grateful for his foresight and his determination in making sure this important piece of Butler County history was preserved," added Hines.