With profound sadness, the family of Stanley Warden Johnston announce his passing on Friday, October 30, 2020. Stan was the beloved husband and best friend for sixty-two years to Patricia (daughter of Pat and Marianne Connor of Grand Rapids, Michigan).
Stan was born in Eston, Saskatchewan on December 2, 1937 to Warden and Beulah Johnston. He was big brother to Norma (Dave) Mulder, Sharon (Jim) Ness and Murray (Joanne) Johnston.
Stan attended school in Eston for grades 1 to 12. He was a drummer in the high school band and played hockey throughout his school years, including playing on the championship Saskatchewan Midget hockey team of the 1952-53 season.
He attended Wheaton College (BSc) in Wheaton, Illinois and met the love of his life, Pat, when they were 18 years old. Stan proposed to Pat during her first visit to Eston, on Christmas Eve, 1957. When Stan and Pat married in 1958, he gained a new sister-in-law Joyce York and her husband John. The two families spent many fun summer vacations together.
Daughter Teri (Bruce), son Michael (Maggie) and son Lael were born to the young couple in the 1960s. Mom and Dad enjoyed being a part of all of our activities. Stan’s love of sports continued with his volunteer coaching and officiating of various community teams.
Stan loved farming and flying, but the oil patch was his calling and the family moved to Calgary in 1971. Stan spent the next 30 years working all over the world. He worked in the Canadian Arctic, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Offshore Newfoundland, the North Sea, the Middle East, Panama, Russia, Norway, Italy and elsewhere. Pat and the kids were able to visit him in some of these locations. He was a member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) and the CIM Petroleum Society for many years.
Stan retired to his favorite place on earth, Eston, in 2003 to the house built by his Uncle Dosh, where he had spent many fun times with his cousins. He was busy in his retirement, volunteering on the Eston Caring Committee, the board of the Prairie West Historical Society, Eston Town Council, a volunteer driver for the Heartland Health Region and on the Board of the Wheatland Plus 50.
Stan spent the last year of his life, in the late stages of Vascular Dementia, at the Jubilee Lodge in Eston under the expert care of the wonderful staff. We will never be able to express in words the gratitude we have in our hearts for the care and compassion Stan received at the Lodge. Thank you also, to Murray and Joanne Johnston, Lorne and Louvain Johnston, Rev. Barb MacNaughton and all the other wonderful neighbors and friends who helped Stan and Pat over these last few very difficult years.
Grandpa will be missed by his grandchildren, Trevor, Cindy, Patrick, Ian, Adam, Simon, Hannah and Ruby and his many nieces and nephews. He will also be missed by Pat’s nieces and nephews in Michigan, California, Oregon and North Carolina.
Stan was predeceased by his mother Beulah, father Warden and sister Sharon.
We love you and will always miss you, rest in peace, until we meet again.
A private family funeral service will be held at the Eston Cemetery. We will celebrate Dad’s life with a larger gathering sometime in the near future.
Donations may be made in memory of Stan to The Eston St. Andrews United Church or Eston Caring Hands.
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