Submitted by
Louise Willison

Billy Ray Johnston

NEWKIRK — Billy Ray Johnston, resident of Bradenton, Fla., and former Ponca City resident, died Tuesday morning, Oct. 25, 2005 in Bradenton. He was 41.

Funeral will be 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 31 in Miller-Stahl Funeral Chapel in Newkirk with Danny W. Cornish, minister of the Newkirk Church of Christ officiating. Burial will follow in Newkirk Cemetery under the direction of the funeral home.

Billy Ray Johnston was born July 26, 1964 in Shawnee, the son of Billy Jack and Donna Wells Johnston. He spent his early years in Shawnee, and in 1970 moved with his family to Ponca City where he attended West Junior High and Ponca City High School. Following high school he worked in construction all over the United States, from coast to coast. He moved to Florida in 2003 where he has since resided.

He was a member of the Nazarene Church. A voracious reader, he also enjoyed fishing, video games and television.

Survivors include his mother, Donna Lee of Woodstock, Ill.; one brother, Randy Johnston of Crystal Lake, Ill.; three sisters, his twin Rhonda Flores of Marengo, Ill., LaDenna Kasyan Keith of Carpentersville, Ill., and LeAnn Molina of Whittier, Calif.; his fiancé, Phoebe Johnston and her daughter, Marissa, of Bradenton; 11 nephews and nieces; three great-nephews; and one great-niece.

Casket bearers will be Randy Johnston, Rhonda Flores, Cory Johnston, LaDena Kasyan, LeAnn Molina, Gary Wells and Arthur Wells.