Robert Vernon Johnstone

1926 - 2014

Robert Vernon Johnstone

"No man is a failure

who has friends."

Robert Vernon Johnstone, Jr. of Indianola and Bremerton, Washington lived that adage fully during his 88 years on this Earth, and was surrounded by a multitude of good friends, and he made new friends easier than most. He died June 19th, 2014 peacefully, from complications of a long illness, with his wife, Lonnie, and some of his family at his side.

Bob Johnstone, as he was known by his family and friends, was born February 28, 1926 in Seattle, Washington, where he spent the predominant portion of his life. After high school, he volunteered for and served as a pilot officer cadet in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. Later he attended the University of Washington, majoring in the sciences, and attended Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He worked, briefly, as a Port of Seattle Police officer at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, while attending college, and, there, met Annamarie Frees, a stewardess for Northwest Airlines. They married and had two children, Janet and Rob.

Bob started a long 30 plus year career as a pharmaceutical detail man for the Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company, and was so well appreciated by the company that he was called out of retirement to work in their scientific liason division. During the time that he worked for Upjohn, he, also, joined the U.S. Army Reserve and retired from the Reserve with the rank of full Colonel.

Always a hard worker, he provided a good living for his family and graduate educations for his children. His advocational passions in life were flying his airplane, boating with his family, and going to the shooting range and hunting with his friends. He was steadfast in his support of his wife, Marie, through her terminal illness, eight years ago.

He is survived by his wife, Lonnie, whom he met, again, many years after college and late in his life, to his great joy. He is, also survived, by his two children from his marriage to Marie Johnstone: Jan Rosenquist and Rob Johnstone, and grandchildren, Sean, Cole, and Hana, Rob's wife Lynn, as well as sister, Avon Wilson, of Lafayette, California and brother, Norman Johnstone, of Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania, and niece, Alisa Tangredi of Lake Balboa, California. He is additionally survived by his wife Lonnie's family including children Gary Christensen, Patricia Peckenpaugh, and Cynthia Christensen, and grandchildren Scott, Alyssa, Tianna, and great-grandchildren Chase and Addison.

He will be greatly missed by all.