William “Bill” Ray Johnston passed away May 28, 2022. He was born November 29, 1936, in Little Rock, Arkansas to Ray Dennison Johnston and Willie Jasper Bloomer Johnston.

Bill graduated from Dyess High School in 1954. He served in the Army for two years and spent one of those years stationed in Germany. During leave, he travelled Europe by motorcycle. Bill married Nita Faye Kimbrell, also from Dyess, in 1957. They had recently celebrated their 65-year wedding anniversary this past February. After the Army, Bill attended the University of Tennessee at Martin, where he obtained a B.S. in Agriculture. Bill and Nita had one son, Donald “Donnie” Ray Johnston.

Bill, Nita, and Donnie then moved to Pocahontas, Ark., where Bill farmed soybeans and rice and raised cattle. Bill had many intellectual interests and loved to read, especially about economics. Later in life, Bill passed the Series 7 exam and opened a stock and commodities brokerage in Pocahontas. Bill and Nita had an extremely happy marriage because they loved the same things. Their passions were their family, dancing, fishing, and travelling the country in an RV. During retirement, Bill and Nita spent their winters in Big Bend National Park in Texas, their springs at a cabin on the Eleven Point River, their summers in Colorado, and their falls in eastern Arkansas watching their grandsons play football for the Wynne Yellowjackets. Bill and Nita moved to Wynne, Ark., four years ago to be closer to their family.

Bill is survived by his wife Nita and son Donnie (Susan) of Wynne, Ark.; three grandsons, Brian Johnston (Alex) of Little Rock, Ark.; David Johnston (Amanda), and Dallas Johnston (Bridget) of Lowell, Ark.; four great-grandchildren, Kate, Kai, Emily, and Camden; one sister, Dorothy Whitlock of Chico, Cal.; and one brother, Dr. James “Jim” Johnston (Carol) of Marion, Ark. A memorial service will

A memorial service will be held at Wynne Baptist Church on Tuesday, May 31, at 1:00 PM. A reception will be held immediately after the service in the church lobby.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Magnolia Pines Retirement Community, 901 Cleveland Street, Wynne, Ark.; the American Heart Association, or a charity of your choice.

All services are under the direction of McNabb Funeral Home.