Allan Ross Johnston

Born in St. Johnsbury Vermont on December 8th, 1950 to Dr. Elbridge E. Johnston and Mildred Spicer Johnston, Allan Ross Johnston lived a full life and passed away peacefully June 19th, 2025.
Allan first came to Alaska in the summer of 1968 to fight forest fires. He wanted to stay, but his parents insisted he enroll at the University of Vermont, where he started various businesses from his dorm room.
When he came up to Alaska the next summer, he enlisted and served in the Army for three years. After he completed his service, he kept returning to Alaska during the summers. In January of 1975 he talked two folks into driving up the Alcan to work on the pipeline. He had one more person to cajole into the adventure - Jennifer Balivet. On January 3rd 1976, Allan and Jennifer were married in a blizzard in Danville, Vermont. It was the usual Alaskan story. Allan assured Jennifer they would stay for three years. It was the start of his 40 year career with Wedbush Securities where he became the manager of the Alaskan offices. Their three children Lauchlin Macquarrie Johnston, William Ross Johnston and Merrick Hartness Johnston were each born in a freshly built wing of the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
In Fairbanks, Allan and Jennifer bought, sold, and moved into five houses in six years, with various family and house guests moving with them finally settling on Shuros Drive off from Farmer's Loop. It was an open house always full, chaotic, and entertaining. Beualah, the dog, quietly minded the children and
ate the leftovers. Allan would often invite people up for dinner last minute.
In 1988, the family moved to Anchorage (again Jennifer naively thought it was for three years). Their home on Hideaway Lake Drive became the seat of the family, a perpetual open house for the building of community.
Allan loved Alaska and was passionate about mentoring innovative entrepreneurs and building support networks. While some of his peers were talking sports or golf, Allan delighted in mentoring, new technology, and building networks. Allan played a key role in creating the pillars of the entrepreneurial community in Alaska including the Alaska Investor Network, the Alaska Business Plan Competition, and the 49th State Angel Fund. Allan was generous with both his time and money. He had the uncanny knack of connecting people to make magic happen.
Allan was always present with love and compassion for his family. He was called "Bumpa" by his grandchildren Lauchlin, Landon, Solveig, Erland, Faith, Lena and Saoirse.
Besides his immediate family and close friends, Allan is survived by his sister Harriet, brother Doug, nieces, nephews, and cousins in Vermont and Nova Scotia. He is predeceased by his brother Bruce.
While the Chief Encouragement Officer has exited, his lifetime investment delivers dividends to his family, community, and angel network. His celebration of life will be on July 10th from 5-7pm in the lobby of the Rasmuson Hall at University of Alaska
Anchorage, 3416 Seawolf Dr. Parking available in the West Campus Central lot.
Donations in Allan's memory can be made through the Alaska Community Foundation, designated to the Alaska Innovation and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development Fund. ARJFund.or