Oliver “Bud” Johnson, a longtime Kewanee businessman, who was well known for his service to the community and area children, died Saturday, April 29, at Hillcrest Home, rural Geneseo. He was 82.

A native of Alabama, Bud came to Kewanee in 1964 as the manager of the McClellan store on Second Street downtown. In 1967 he went into business as owner and operator of Johnson Wethersfield Shell Service on Tenney Street.

He subsequently managed three Kewanee movie theaters, was a facilities manager for Schwan’s Ice Cream and in 2000, he and his wife Katie purchased the Wanee Cinemas and the Apollo Theater in Princeton. He and Katie also operated Katie’s House of Steaks from 2005 to 2009.

Johnson is remembered by many Kewaneeans for his charitable work. During the COVID-19 pandemic he wasn’t able to keep the theater open for showing movies, but he sold popcorn, donating a portion of the proceeds to the Kewanee Food Pantry.

For this and his other charitable activities, Johnson was named the marshal of the Hog Days Parade in 2021, and was named the Kewanee Chamber of Commerce “Citizen of the Year” in March of this year. He was also named “Child’s Best Friend” by the Kewanee Park District. Johnson would often open up his theater for matinees for area school kids and every year ran a coat drive for area children in memory of his late wife, Katie.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Friday at Golnick-Schueneman Funeral Home in Kewanee, with funeral services at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.