Celebration of life services for William Brooks Johnson, 78, of Mobridge will be at 2 PM, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at the Edge Event Center in Mobridge. Inurnment will be at Black Hills National Cemetery. A memorial visitation will start at 10:30 AM on Wednesday at the Edge Event Center. Brooks passed away Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at St. Alexius Hospital in Bismarck. Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge is in charge of arrangements.

March 12, 1947, was a snowy day in Walworth County. Inside the old Mobridge Hospital Norma Ione (Kuehl) Johnson and William Brooks Johnson Sr. were welcoming their second child, William Brooks Johnson Jr., who would be known as Brooks, into the world. Brooks would head home to join his older sister on the homestead in rural Sitka. The two would be joined later by another sister and two brothers. They grew up knowing things had value, repairs were necessary, and hard work was both important and something to be proud of.

Brooks attended the Pershing One Room School for his early years of education. It was a long walk, all year long but he made it to school in all types of weather and was able to move onto school in Glenham, SD for later years. Generally, a quiet student who didn’t cause any incidents Brooks was just as shocked, as the Superintendent, when Brooks flicked a spitball off his desk, that another student had shot at him. The spitball flew through the air finding its landing place on the Superintendent’s forehead. Even after that incident he graduated from Glenham High School in May of 1966.

He started his lifetime of employment by helping his parents on the farm and working part-time at the Glenham Hardware Store. He had a hand in the building of what is now the Mobridge-Pollock Upper Elementary and Middle School, all before joining the Army in 1966 as a Medic serving mostly in the states and for a time in Germany, before he was honorably discharged in 1968. After he returned home, he held positions at the Selby Implement, Eureka Implement (which he was an owner), the Whitmeyer Garage, the family business – Johnson House Moving, purchased Glenham Electric from his uncle where they rewound motors, Glenham Recreations, organized the Glenham Fire Department, was the Civil Defense Coordinator, and the City Marshall of Glenham. One night while working as the City Marshall an individual was causing trouble and shot out the windows of a business. The Mobridge Police Department assisted with the situation. When the situation was resolved Brooks was offered a patrol officer position in Mobridge, SD. The patrol officer position would last only six months, before he was named the interim police chief. Very soon the interim was dropped, and he was the police chief, that position would last thirty-three years. While police chief Brooks brought Drug Abuse Resistance Education to Mobridge, make it the second city in the state to offer D. A. R. E., he started the bike safety course, and held St. Jude Bike-a-thons, added new officer positions, acted as the code enforcement officer, was instrumental in the establishment of the State 911 system. After retiring from the Police Chief position, he returned to the Mobridge Police Department as the 911 Coordinator. During his time at the Mobridge Police Department Brooks received a number of awards and newspaper write-up, but you wouldn’t learn about any of that from him.

June 12, 1970, was the beginning of his greatest and longest adventure. It was the day that he married his best friend and the love of his life Carol Litschewski. Together they shared fifty-five years and six days of married life. Their union brought forth, four children, Karla, William Brooks III, Karen, and Robert, sixteen grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren with one more on the way. Brooks loved his children fiercely, they were the light and joy of his life, until he was given his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He then found a light even brighter and joy more profound. For the children in his life including his extended family of foster children, children’s friends, nieces, nephews, friend’s children, and all those people that “adopted” Brooks and Carol as family, he would give or do anything.

Brooks enjoyed fishing, hunting, shooting, camping, demolition derbies, tinkering and repairing or rebuilding different things. He loved music especially Johnny Cash. He enjoyed his time in the kitchen and was a creative chef, often making new recipes from old ones. Another of his passions was Miracle Whip – if you know you know. Brooks was known for his ability to fix almost everything or build something from nothing. He along with his brothers used a wheel from an old press, boat seat, cattle grate, lawn mower engine and some wheels from the pile of farm junk to build the best go-cart the kids could have asked for. He could make anything work given the time. Most people Jerry rig projects when needed but truly Jerry didn’t hold a candle to Brooks.
Brooks had a special bond with his brothers. They were the best of friends and an amazing team in everything they did, from the projects and jobs, they worked on to the shenanigans they got up to. The “boys” as they were affectionately known, were there to support each other and they were always ready for any new challenges that came their way.

Brooks took the words “to protect and serve” seriously. It was a rule he lived by. It often included his generosity. He would arrange rides for those he couldn’t give a ride to clean up properties, provide food for those who needed it – often taking from his own home, and helping families who couldn’t have Christmas find a little something to make their Christmas a bit brighter. He wanted the best for everyone he met and would work diligently to help make that happen.

Brooks passed away quickly on June 18, 2025, while in the midst of a conversation with his son.

He was preceded in death by his parents William Brooks Johnson Sr. and Norma Johnson, parents-in-law John and Betty Litschewski, brothers Forrest and Arwood Johnson, sister Roberta Perman, and brother-in-law Marvin “Buzz” Perman Jr.

He is survived by his soul-mate Carol Johnson, children, Robert (Stacy) Johnson, Karen Vogel (special friend Adam Webster), William Brooks Johnson III (Crystal) Johnson, Karla (John) Bieber, former son-in law David Vogel, sixteen grandchildren, six great-grandchildren with one more on the way, sister Ione Enderson, brother-in-laws Michael (Mary) Litschewski, Richard (Nancy) Litschewski, Ron (Bev) Litschewski, sister-in-laws LaVonne (Jeff) Dietrich, Patty (Arnie) Roebuck, and many nieces and nephews, including the grands and the greats.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations go to the St. Alexius Kidney Dialysis.

1. Add to favourites
2. Report abuse