Rev. John W. Johnston

Mar. 2, 1915 - Feb. 15, 2016 Rev. John W. Johnston, beloved husband, father and pastor, passed away at home on Feb. 15 at the age of 100. He was born March 2, 1915 in Prince Edward County, VA, to Arthur Pembroke Johnston and Bessie Pennington Johnston. The oldest son from a family of 16, he is preceded in death by 5 brothers and 5 sisters. John grew up on a dairy farm outside of Farmville, VA, served in the CCCs during the Depression and was a Corporal in WWII landing at Utah beach on D-Day. He attended and graduated from what is now known as the Presbyterian School for Christian Education in Richmond, VA. It was there he met and married Marguerite Mason Eakins of Madison Co., AL. After earning a Bachelor of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, they moved to North Alabama where John pastored churches in Gadsden and Russellville before retiring to Huntsville in 1981. He continued to minister in the role of Supply Pastor for several Presbyterian churches in the New Market, Paint Rock and Trenton, TN areas until 2005. John was active in mission and outreach organizations during his ministry and made several trips to the Honduras to evangelize and build churches. He worked to equip others to share their faith, led numerous community Bible studies and supported the mission work of the Presbyterian Church, USA. In 2009, a generous family who had been touched through Rev. Johnston's ministry established a "Preaching, Christian Education and Worship" endowment in his name at Union Theological Seminary. John leaves three children – Linda Richey, John Johnston, Jr. and Sarah Luckey; five grandchildren - Mason Richey, Tara Manning, Clayton Johnston, William Matthew Luckey, Janna Grace Luckey; and two great-granddaughters - Hannah Elizabeth Manning and Sasha John-Richey. Visitation will be at Berryhill Funeral Home from 4 to 7 p.m., Thursday February 18. Funeral services will be at 11:00 am, Friday at Central Presbyterian on Randolph St. in Huntsville. Interment will follow as a small private family event at a later time. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be given to New Market Presbyterian Church, PO Box 63, New Market, AL 35761 or the "John W. Johnston Teaching Excellence Fund", Union Theological Seminary, 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, VA 23227.