Ch 9, Grandchildren and Retirement

Immediately after Gail’s high school graduation ceremony, in June of 1963, the family moved once again.

This time it was off to sunny Southern California, to the small town of Sunnymead (now Moreno Valley) just outside of Riverside CA, and an assignment to March AFB. It was at March AFB that Freeland was promoted to Senior Master Sergeant, which required him to extend his enlistment for two more years. Annabell (Betts) continued her nursing career at the base hospital, and Gail enrolled for her first semester at Riverside City College. The Johnsons were in Sunnymead for less than a year when they purchased a home new home on Starcrest Drive just a few miles from the base. A few months later, Gail’s future husband, Robert Henderson moved into a new home next door to the Johnsons. Freeland remained at March AFB for the remainder of his Air Force Career, finally retiring in 1968.

After his Air Force retirement, Freeland studied and received his real estate license and began another career buying and selling properties around the area. In a short time, he had purchased three other homes on Starcrest Drive, and donated one of them to Robert and his daughter Gail when they returned from their enlistment in the Air Force. He also dabbled in mobile homes and even opened a parts store for a while in Rubidoux, just across the river from Riverside.

Carey and James Adam Henderson

In 1974, Freeland's daughter, Gail, gave birth to his first and only granddaughter, Carey Henderson. In 1978 his first grandson arrived, James Adam Henderson. The Johnson and Henderson families all lived in close proximity to each other in Moreno Valley for several years and, in due time, Carey grew to adulthood and had a child of her own who she named Kylee Alexis, Freeland’s first great granddaughter.

Kylee Alexis

Several years after the birth of Kylee, Carey delivered William Johnson's only great grandson, Caden, Robert Adams.

 Caden Robert Adams

After about 23 years of the California business climate, Freeland got the Wanderlust and longed to return to his roots in Oklahoma. It is now 1989 and, Freeland had amassed enough funds to purchase land in Cherokee County, Oklahoma with the intention of developing residential property. As luck would have it, the failing health of his mother-in-law, Lennie Betts caused him to take a detour to Atoka, Oklahoma to care for her. While in Atoka, Freeland purchased another 80 acres and, as he put it, went into the cow business with Annabell’s cousin, Richard Betts. It wasn’t long before he was completely involved and had over 75 head of cattle and was focused on the "cow/calf business" end of the industry.

By the time Lennie Betts passed away in January of 1997, Freeland was firmly entrenched in the local economy and decided to stay in Atoka. He lives there today (2005) with his wife of 62 years, Annabell Betts. After his ritual early morning "board meetings" at the local McDonald’s restaurant, with the other cattlemen of the area, he can usually be found tending to his cattle or gathering the hay from his 80 acres of grass.

Note:  Since this biography was written, Williams' wife, Anna Bell passed away in October of 2006.  She is buried in Wards Chapel cemetery in her hometown of Atoka, Oklahoma.

Note:  Since I started posting this biography, William Freeland Johnson passed away and, by now, is buried next to his wife Anna Bell at Wards Chapel cemetery in Atoka, Oklahoma.  For our family, he was the last of his generation.  For us, an era has passed.  We love you PaPa.