William James Johnson (Will) left this life on April 13, 2024, after a long battle with chronic medical conditions including POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). He was 19 years old.

Will was loved deeply by his parents, his two younger siblings, his extended family and his friends. Will was a tall, handsome, smart redhead who had an amazing smile, intellect, and an even more amazing sense of human love and compassion that guided his life. We feel him with us still.

Will liked helping others more than helping himself. He loved playing his trombone in the North High Band. He liked playing a lot of different sports as he grew up including soccer, baseball, tennis, ping pong, and football. When he was little he loved having Nerf wars with his friends, but only after crafting custom helmets and shields out of cardboard and duct tape. Will spent a lot of quiet time composing music. He was mostly too private to share it, but we are enjoying all of it now as a deep reminder of his sweet soul. Will loved playing Minecraft, Rock Band, and Clone Hero - sometimes competitively. He loved to take apart his Clone Hero guitars to modify them so he could play faster. Will was a voracious reader and loved learning about all kinds of scientific facts. He loved cooking and trying different foods.

Will's life was marked by an intense desire to learn and help. When you saw him you likely saw a bright smile, a helper, and a friend. You saw someone who cared deeply about the people around him, and the world around him. Will was a forward-thinking person who thought of the world in terms of what he could do to make it better for future generations, and he did those things.

If there's one thing we learned from Will more than any other: It's take time to stop, listen, and understand people, and give them space for where they're at in life. They know better than you what it is they need.

Will's ashes are with an Autumn Blaze Maple tree that has been dedicated to him at Siskiyou Memorial Park. Its leaves will glow orange and red in the Fall, just like his hair. We love you Will.