Lyle ‘Butch” Johnson Lyle “Butch” Johnson, 68, of St. Ignace, who was inducted into the Bowling Hall of Fame Sunday, February 13, died Friday, February 18, 2005, at Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey. He was recovering from a stroke suffered October 17, 2004, but developed a blood clot and died during surgery.

Mr. Johnson was born May 4, 1936, in Detroit. He was graduated from LaSalle High School in 1954 and attended every St. Ignace home and away basketball and football game for more than 50 years. He was an avid golfer and a member of St. Ignace Golf & Country Club.

Mr. Johnson’s first job in St. Ignace was shining shoes at McQueen’s Barber Shop. He also worked at the former A & P Store and for Arnold Transit Company. For more than 10 years, he worked in park maintenance for the City of St. Ignace, before retiring in September 1998.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church in St. Ignace and an usher for more than 50 years, last serving Sunday, February 13.

Family members said he was a devoted son, visiting his mother in Long Term Care every day, and sometimes twice a day, over the last nine years.

Mr. Johnson was survived by his mother, Sylvia Johnson, eight cousins and their families, Leonard “Cap” Tromblay of Rudyard, Mary Tromblay of St. Ignace, Elinor and Ben Kokko of Farmington Hills, Corky and Dale Holmberg of Midland, Paul and Mary Ellen Sorenson of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Edythe Ritter of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Wally and Charlene Sorenson of Garden City, and Pat and Frank Vreeland of Bruce, Wisconsin, and by many second cousins.

Services will be Wednesday, February 23, at 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in St. Ignace with the Reverend Jim Balfour officiating.

Dave Kokko, Greg Kokko, Billy Fraser, Scott Marshall, Dennis Brown, and Dennis Sorenson will serve as pallbearers. Rex Hooper, Don Sutton, Chris Levi, Dan Yake, Ernie Krause, and Jerry Sorenson will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery in the spring.