Member, Elwood Johnston, Passed Away September 17, 2009
Elwood Johnston, who joined our church on October 13, 1985, entered the next stage of life on Thursday, September 17, 2009.
Visitation will be Monday, September 21, 2009 from 6:30-7:30pm at Lunn’s Colonial Funeral Home, 2812 Midwestern Pkwy (north-west corner of Midwestern and Maplewood).
The celebration of his life will be held here at FUMC in our Sanctuary at 1:00pm on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 with Rev. John Dillard and Elwoods’s son-in-law, Rev. Dr. Harvey C. Martz, Senior Pastor of St. Andrews UMC in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, officiating.
Burial will follow in Crestview Memorial Park under the direction of Lunn’s Colonial Funeral Home of Wichita Falls.
Elwood was born October 27, 1916, in Clay County to Arthur Lester and Ida Ola Johnston. During World War II he served as a welder building submarines at the Portsmouth Naval Yard in Portsmouth, N.H. Following the war Elwood worked at Walker Neer Manufacturing as a welder building oil field drilling equipment and soon moved into a supervisory position. After that he became co-owner and operator of McGinnis Welding Supply and then along with his wife, Helen, owned and operated Fire and Safety, Inc. where he sold, installed and maintained fire safety equipment for the restaurant industry along with fire extinguishers for large industrial complexes. In his business relationships he was known for his integrity and high ethical standards.
Throughout his life he was known and respected as a lay builder with remarkable problem-solving and mechanical abilities. In his late twenties he built a 14-foot plywood boat which his family enjoyed for many years and later on built a garage, patio, and all the kitchen cabinets for an addition to the family home. During retirement he was well known for building and installing large, unusual birdhouses for purple martins. He and Helen were actively involved at First United Methodist Church in the Keystone class and he was an active volunteer in the church’s life.
He is survived by his wife of almost 69 years, Helen; daughter, Judy Martz and husband Harvey of Highlands Ranch, Colo., and Jeff Johnston and wife Cherry of Wichita Falls; five grandchildren, Colin, Byron, and Darcy Johnston of Wichita Falls, Todd Martz of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Meredith Martz of New York City; and numerous nieces and nephews. Three brothers preceded him in death.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church in Elwood’s name.
Please keep his wife, Helen, and their family and friends in prayer.
