Billy Joel Johnson, 90

Billy Joel Johnson, age 90, of Canoochee, passed away Friday, September 25, 2026. Funeral services were held Sunday, September 27, at 3 p.m. at Hebron Primitive Baptist Church with Elder Will Martin officiating. Family received friends one hour prior to the service. Interment followed in Hebron Primitive Baptist Church cemetery.

Pallbearers were Wesley Peebles, Dylan Dixon, Jeff Farmer, Sammy Flanders, Mitch Johnson and Keith Pitts.

Billy was born September 11, 1936, in Twin City, to the late John D. Johnson and Ouida Joiner Johnson. He was a 1954 graduate of Emanuel County Institute in Twin City. After he graduated, Billy moved to Atlanta and lived with his aunt and uncle while he worked with Orkin downtown. After a while, he had enough of the city life and came back home to Emanuel County. That is where he met the sweet nurse’s assistant at Powell Smith Hospital named Frances Farmer. During their courtship, Billy enlisted in the National Guard and graduated infantry training in Fort Jackson, SC, in July 1959. On September 11, 1960, he married his sweetheart, Frances Farmer. Billy also started working at the Citizens Bank of Swainsboro as bank cashier and worked there for over 35 years. Upon retirement from the bank, he went to work at Keller Industries as a dispatcher and worked there until they closed. Billy then took a job at Johnson County Correctional Facility and worked as a warehouse supervisor for nine years. He decided it was time to retire and came home just to be a country gentleman.

Billy loved working the farm, with the cows, goats, and chickens. He got pleasure from planting a garden and watching the plants grow and produce. Billy loved to fish in his pond, mountain rivers and the ocean. Summers with his girls were spent at Fernandina Beach. When the girls moved on, Billy and Frances would travel in their camper and visit the Smokey Mountain parks and sites.

He enjoyed the simple life in later years. Sitting on his back porch watching the birds eat at the feeders and the squirrels run up and down the fence with a peanut in their mouth. Billy attended church as his health would let him, but his faith never waned. He loved his God and cherished his family. Mr. Johnson is preceded in death by his parents; and wife, Frances Farmer Johnson.

Survivors include his daughters, Lisa J. Peebles of Canoochee and Sandi J. Dixon of Dublin; grandsons, Wesley J. Peebles (Sierra) of Wilmington Island and Dylan L. Dixon of Dublin; several nieces, nephews, and many friends.

The family would like to send special appreciation to Inez Thomas, Renia Snelling, Topekia Carswell, Lacey Lyles, The Retirement Inn and Pruitt Hospice of Swainsboro.

Durden Hudson Funeral Directors was in charge of arrangements.