Christopher Johnston VI

1935 - 2024

Johnston VI, Christopher

February 12, 1935 - February 29, 2024

Christopher Johnston VI passed away peacefully in his home on Thursday, February 29, 2024, with his loving wife Janet Johnston and youngest son David Johnston by his side.

Christopher was born February 12, 1935 in Durham, NC to Dr. Christopher Johnston V and Lucie Bouldin Johnston. He spent his early years growing up in Durham. Both his parents passed in his youth. His adoptee parents were Dr. David T. and Susan Smith from Durham, NC. The Smiths were integral part of his life and introduced him to Pawleys Island, SC where he visited for over 75 years. He is a graduate of Westtown School in West Chester, PA (High School), Guilford College, Greensboro, NC (BS Economics) and Duke University, Durham, NC (Masters Hospital Administration). Prior to attending Guilford College he became a Marine Sargent. Notably, he was in the first graduate program for Hospital Administration at Duke University and studied hospital planning and development under Louis Swanson. This training served him well as his administrative positions often included new construction.

Christopher Johnston spent his career providing healthcare to those that needed it. Working in the medical field was a natural choice as both his father and adoptee father were on the first medical staff of Duke Hospital. He started his career in Fayetteville, NC, moved to children hospitals (Kansas City, MO and St. Petersburg, FL), then changed to full-service hospitals (Anderson, NC and Morganton, NC), and ended his career oversees in Saudi Arabia and then Yemen. His wife traveled with him to Saudi Arabia and taught in international schools there. Saudi Arabia was a great adventure for them. He ended his career opening a full-service hospital in Yemen. The hospital was gifted and supported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He completed and opened the hospital, a project that had been underway for many years. Around a thousand Yemenis seeking help, lined up for service the night before the hospital opened. The Yeminis in the region had never had healthcare. Outside facilities were built to accommodate those waiting. He often commented that providing healthcare to those that needed it most was one of the most rewarding things of his career. Christopher Johnston VI, was a lifetime member of the American College of Hospital Administration.

While providing healthcare was important to him, he was involved in the communities he lived in as a Boy Scout leader, a member of his church, Grace Episcopal, serving as a Deacon, a member of The Rotary Club, a member of SAR, and later in life a member of Civitan. But the most important thing to him was his family. He continued his grandfather's work in genealogy and traveled with his family to his ancestral home in Moffat, Scotland. His Scottish heritage and family's early American immigration was important to him and he gifted this legacy to his children. He was an avid rockhound and loved opals and turquoise. He was deeply interested in the world, its people, and traveled with his wife and family often. He introduced his family to Pawley's Island, SC and the family continues to spend time there every year they can. Christopher possessed a quick wit and teased his children all of his life. After his youngest son's near-death experience in 1985 he became deeply spiritual. He achieved his wish to be remembered as a Christian man, a kind and devoted husband, and a loving and understanding father. He will be dearly missed by his family.

The family would like to thank his Internist, his doctors and Hospice of the Piedmont for his outstanding care!

He is predeceased by his Mother, Lucie Johnston, Father, Dr. Christopher Johnston V, adoptee Mother, Susan Smith, adoptee Father, Dr. David T. Smith, his sister, Lucie Harvey, and his sister Madeline Johnston Gillespie.

Christopher is survived by his wife of 63 years, Janet Smith Johnston, sister, Betsy Holland (Visalia, Ca), sons, Christopher Johnston VII (Detroit, MI and Barcelona, Spain), David Johnston (Greensboro, NC), daughter, Patricia Johnston (Santa Fe, NM), grandchildren, Jachen Mackner (Austin, TX) and Elohim Johnston (Langley, WA and Vancouver, Canada). At the request of Christopher Johnston VI there will be no service due to COVID-19 and travel. The family will hold a private celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please give to New Garden Friends Meeting Cemetery, 801 New Garden Road, Greensboro, NC 27410 or Hospice of the Piedmont, 1801 Westchester Drive, High Point, NC 27262.

Forbis and Dick Guilford Chapel is serving the Johnston family and online condolences may be offered at www.forbisanddick.com