Kenneth Lloyd Johnson Of Springbrook, WI passed away at his home on January 5, 2022.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Evelyn Johnson; as well as his son, Taylor (Annie) Johnson; 6 grandchildren; Kenneth, Kurtis, Nettie, Sullivan, Gloriana and Elnora. Ken was also blessed with some much loved nephews and nieces: Chris, Charlie, Henry, Kim, Amy, Sonny, Brooke and Tommy. Ken also had a very large, extended family as well as many close friends and loved ones.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Nancy Johnson; as well as his son, Kenneth Curtis (Angie) Johnson. Ken was born on May 3, 1949 and grew up in Nashville, WI in Forest County.

He attended the Mole Lake Reservation Elementary School. In this rural area of the Northwoods is where he developed his love of all things in the woods. In the woods between Bishop Lake and County RD B. He, his brothers, cousins, and friends spent hours hunting, fishing and just playing up and down Logans Creek. He always talked of these days and the things they learned. Ken started working in the timber with his uncles at the age of 14 and that is what he turned into the biggest part of his life’s work. A true entrepreneur, it did not take Ken long to take the skills his uncles taught him and strike out on his own. He loved cutting timber, skidding timber and the buying and selling of it all. He would always talk of “cutting them down and taking them to town”. He logged all over the country from Kentucky to the UP of Michigan and all points in between. He truly loved his days in the logging industry and had many many loyal men that worked for him that remained very important to him and still came and visited right up to the last week of his life, even though he had been retired for about 20 years. When Ken was not working in the woods he was hunting or fishing in the woods. Ken spent a lot of time catching trout out of the spring ponds and creeks wherever he was living. Like most things in his life, it would never be the easy-to-get-to spot but the spot that you had to work hard to get to. The farther back the better for him.

Above all things he loved to do in the woods was hunting his hounds. He loved nothing more than to hear the hounds run after game and get it treed. He had packs of dogs as large as 50 and hunted them all. Bear was his favorite game to pursue but had no problem getting after coon as well. He raised, trained and sold many hounds over the years and was doing that on a full time until about three years ago when he was forced to stop after a pretty hard stroke. Even after all the health issues, Ken did whatever he could to keep a foot in the hunt game. He even treed a few bear right in his yard the last years of his life with his little Terrier dog, Riley. He would sit and laugh and laugh to see his little 18 pound dog put bear on the run or up a tree in the yard. Ken loved the woods, he loved working them, and he loved hunting, especially running his dogs.

He will not only be missed by family but also by many other woodsmen and hunters that got to know him over the years.

No services will be held.

Appleyard’s Home for Funerals in Rice Lake, WI is assisting the family with the arrangements.

Last Update: Jan 07, 2022 10:24 pm CST