Jon Stewart Johnson

Jon Stewart Johnson, 81, of Levelland passed from this life on February 23, 2025. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at Christ United Methodist Church of Levelland, with a reception for family and friends to immediately follow the service. Interment will be a small memorial on Friday, March 14, 2025, at 1pm, in the Waco Memorial Park Mausoleum.

Jon was born in Matador, Texas, to Ober and Wandell Berryman Johnson. He grew up on a farm in Quitaque, Texas, and graduated from Quitaque High School in 1961. A lifelong musician, Jon earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from Baylor University and completed his post graduate studies at the University of Illinois. He married Willa Dale Hilbrich on June 6, 1966, at the First Baptist Church in Alpine, Texas. A lifelong choir director, Jon’s early career included choral positions at Richfield High School in Waco, University of Mississippi in Oxford, and Baylor University. In 1984, he returned home to West Texas and became a Professor of Music at South Plains College. While at South Plains, he enjoyed many roles, including director of choirs and musicals, playing piano with the jazz band, teaching music theory, and providing vocal instruction to aspiring young singers. Jon also served as the Fine Arts Department Chair from 1988 until his retirement in 2013 after 46 years of inspiring generations of musicians.

A man of strong faith, Jon served as a church choir director for almost 30 years in numerous congregations, including First United Methodist Church in Waco, First Presbyterian Church in Oxford, Mississippi, Seventh and James Baptist Church in Waco, and First Methodist Church in Levelland.

He is preceded in death by his son, Blaine Johnson; parents, O.V. and Wandell Johnson; father and mother in-law, Otto and Oneita Hilbrich, and brother in-law, Otto Hilbrich Jr.

Those left to honor and cherish his memory include his wife, Willa Dale Johnson; daughters, Elizabeth Johnson-Black and Amy Moore and husband, Greg; grandsons, Jonathan Moore and wife, Kailey, Harrison Black, Jacob Moore and Jonah Moore; along with his brothers, sister in-laws, brother in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.

His life was driven by three constants: his faith, his family and his love for creating and teaching music. His legacy will live on through his family, who loved him deeply, and in the music of the many students whose lives he touched.

In lieu of flowers the family suggest donations be made to the Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas.