John Williamson passed away peacefully with his family at his side on December 13, 2008. He put up a courageous fight to overcome the challenges of a massive stroke he suffered three years ago. He was born on January 5, 1934, in Middlesboro, Kentucky. John's family moved to Richland in 1945 where they stayed for two years and then returned to Kentucky in 1947. The family moved back to Richland in 1948. John met his wife Betty while living and working in the Tri-Cities. They were married in 1951 and proudly raised four boys while permanently settling in Kennewick. Some of the best family memories were the vacations in the motor home, including a trip that went coast to coast and another one to Alaska. John and Betty celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on May 6, 2001. John loved automobiles as a teen and was even known to drive without a license until his older brother found out. His passion for cars soon became his career path. He began selling automobiles as a young man, which led to his becoming a sales manager. John opened his own successful automobile dealership, John's Auto Mart, in 1959 on Columbia Drive in Kennewick. In 1988, he sold the business to his son Ken where it still thrives today. John continued to keep active in the automobile business and he looked forward to having coffee every morning with his many dealer friends. He had great enthusiasm for classic cars and collected many unique automobiles over the years. He was especially proud when he was the chauffer for one of his granddaughters' wedding driving his vintage Rolls Royce. John also had a passion for revitalizing older buildings and houses and felt great satisfaction in beautifully landscaping the properties in Kennewick. Community service was important to John and he gave freely of his time. He was a member of the Kennewick Planning Commission for over 20 years and helped guide the growth of the city. He also served as a board member of the Benton-Franklin Human Society and was instrumental in the building of a new facility. He was a member of Faith Assembly Christian Center in Pasco and was loved and supported by the members of the church. Those who knew him appreciated John's generosity and wonderful sense of humor. Survivors include his wife, Betty and four sons: Wayne of Snohomish; Dennis and his wife Pam of Kennewick; Ron and his wife Laurie of Richland; and Ken and his wife Debra of Kennewick. He was also admired and loved by his 10 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding John in death were his father Harvey and mother Elizabeth, sisters Louise and Phyllis, and his brother Larry. The family is deeply grateful to the doctors and nursing staff at Kennewick General Hospital for their professional care and comfort during the last few days of John's life. A memorial service is planned for Friday, December 19, at 1:00 p.m. at Faith Assembly Christian Center in Pasco. Please come to celebrate and share stories of John's life with his family and many friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Tri-City Union Gospel Mission.