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 David Hale Johnston
Roper
David Hale Johnston, 88, and one-half years old-born July 28, 1924 in Roper, NC, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.F. Johnston and husband of Peggy Suitt Johnston, died on Saturday, February 16, 2013.
He graduated valedictorian of his senior class in high school and in the following fall, enrolled in North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, with the intention of becoming an aeronautical engineer. At the end of his freshman year, he was to be drafted-but instead volunteered for military service in the U.S. Air Force at the time of WW II. He flew B-17's and B-47's as a pilot. He attained the rank of First Lieutenant. WW II ended 3 days before he was scheduled to lead a bombing raid over Germany.
After his discharge from the military, he changed his major to pre-medicine and entered Duke University, where he ultimately graduated from Medical School in 1951. He also met Peggy at this time and they were married on June 16, 1951. Upon graduating Medical School, he completed internship followed by residency for 2 and one-half years at Grady Memorial Hospital and Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Upon completion of internship and residency, he was offered a 3 year fellowship in Gastroenterology at Duke University.
In 1957, he accepted a position as gastroenterologist andinternist at the Lexington Clinic in Lexington, KY, where he practiced for 37 years. He served on the executive board of the Lexington Clinic and as head of the GI Department during part of that time. He retired in 1994. He was recently inducted into the Lexington Clinic Hall of Fame for organizing the first GI Department at the Clinic and was recognized for being the first physician to perform a flexible sigmoidoscope in Lexington (learned while training at Duke).
He was a lifelong Episcopalian. He was a singer in both the Duke Chapel Choir as well as the Christ Church Cathedral Choir in Lexington. He is a past vestry member at Christ Church Cathedral, taught Sunday Schooland Bible Study for a number of years, he was a member of the Brotherhood of Saint Andrews, attended Cursillo, was a member of the Order of Saint Luke's and also a prayer minister at Christ Church Cathedral. Over the past 10 years, David and his family have attended Saint Andrew's Anglican Church in Versailles, KY.
In his retirement, he completed a course with the New York Institute of Photography and became a professional photographer. He won several awards at local photography competitions, as well as having his photograph of the inside of Rupp Arena (taken from "Big Bertha" with a fish-eye lens and looking like a basketball) being chosen by Rick Pitino and the Ice Hockey team for their seasonal posters.
He participated in several community volunteer and retreat activities, was an avid golfer/tennis player, and loved to read. He was also a big fan of University of Kentucky and Duke University basketball. He is a past member of Spindletop and Andover Country Clubs, as well as the Hilary Boone Faculty Club.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers. He is survived by his wife of 61 years-Peggy, and five children: Sherri J. Morgan (Doug) of Atlanta, GA, Dr. D. Keith Johnston of Lexington, KY, Brandon G. Johnston (Susan) of Kansas City, KS, Melissa Vail Johnston of St. Simons Island, GA and C. Paige Johnston of Lexington, KY; seven grandchildren, Kelsey Morgan; Jean E. and William Daniell; Haley, Lane, Braden and Lillie Johnston.
Funeral services will be 2 PM Saturday St. Andrews Anglican Church, Versailles, KY. Burial will follow at the Lexington Cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8 PM Friday at Milward-Broadway as well as a visitation and reception from 11:30 AM-1:30 PM Saturday, prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Saint Andrews Anglican Church (115 Paddock Dr, Versailles, KY) , the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation,
or Thomson-Hood Veterans Center (100 Veterans Drive, Wilmore, KY). www.milwardfuneral.com
Published in The News & Observer on February 24, 2013
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