Ronald R. Johnson, former publisher of several Wisconsin newspapers, was born on Sep. 1, 1939, in Dixon, Illinois, to Raymond Lee and Fentie Johnson. He graduated in 1958 from Dixon High School. Interested in newspapers and printing at a young age, he had a paper route as a child and worked for The Dixon Evening Telegraph while attending high school.
Ronald went on to work in circulation and sales at the Freeport (Ill.) Journal Standard and the Monroe (Wis.) Evening Times. From the early 1960s until 1974, he worked for Colony Brands (formerly Swiss Colony) in Monroe, as a photographer and distributor for their catalogs. He married Beverly Flaherty, on Nov. 16, 1974, and the couple purchased the Argyle (Wis.) Agenda. Ronald also operated the Albany (Wis.) Agenda and the Monticello (Wis.) Agenda. Later, he was employed as a salesman by the Monroe Shopping News. He retired from Alliant Energy in Madison, Wisconsin.
Ronald died of COPD on May 17, 2022, at the age of 82. He was survived by his wife and six children, Ray Sr., Steve, Jeff, Paul, Eric and Val.
