Obituary of John Walter Johnston

Ashburn, Va., - John Walter Johnston, 78, died on Sunday, September 14 at home surrounded by his family after a long illness. Mr. Johnston was born in Indianapolis, Ind. He was the only child of Olga Richey Johnston and Carl Alton Johnston. John was raised in Florida and graduated from Martin County High School in Stuart, Fla. He graduated from Lincoln Memorial University in 1954 with a B.S. degree in biology. Mr. Johnston enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1958, was honorably discharged in 1960, and then began working at Woodard Research Corporation in Herndon, Va. In 1962, while living in Herndon, John met Mary Jo Shaw, daughter of John and Evelyn Shaw and married that same year. John and Mary lived in the Herndon area many years, where they raised their two children, Tom and Catie. John was a founding member of the Herndon Jaycees Club and later an active member of the Herndon Rotary Club. John's professional career included scientific research, writing and project management for companies that contracted with the federal government and George Washington University Medical School. During early retirement, John helped write for the Chicago Tribune syndicated column "Dear Doctor." In 2001, John realized a life-long dream of living on the water when he and Mary moved to Deltaville, Va., on the Chesapeake Bay. John enjoyed a peaceful, simple life of fishing, boating, crabbing and attending seafood and art festivals in the area. He was also active in the Middlesex County Rotary Club and member of the Middlesex County Library Board. For health reasons and to be closer to family, John and Mary returned to Northern Virginia in July 2012, where they lived in Ashburn's Potomac Green retirement community. John is survived by Mary, his wife of 52 years; his son, Thomas Morgan Johnston and daughter-in-law, Diane Angelos Johnston, of Virginia Beach; his daughter, Catherine Johnston Romano and son-in-law, Joseph S. Romano of Ashburn; his grandchildren, Alexandra Johnston, Nicholas, Sophia and Luke Romano; and one cousin, James Barnes of Morristown, Ind.