Thomas William Johnston

THOMAS WILLIAM JOHNSTON Thomas William Johnston, 92, of Boise Idaho passed away on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020 at Ashley Manor Highmont, Boise Idaho. Tom was born on November 12, 1928 in Ogden Utah. He lived in northern Utah through his first grade at the Utah Power & Light Co. Cutler Plant (Beaver Dam) near Collinston, Utah. He then lived in Alexander, Idaho and graduated from High School in Soda Springs, Idaho. He was Junior Class Vice-President, Student Body President, a member of National Honor Society, received The Bausch & Lomb Science Award and played first chair clarinet for the High School All-State Band. He spent 3 years in the Navy post WWII, attending boot camp in San Diego. He attended Electronics and Electrician School at the Great Lakes Training Center in Chicago, Illinois and Submarine School in New London, Connecticut. He was stationed in San Diego and Mare Island, California serving aboard the U.S.S. Remora (SS-497) in the Bering Strait and the U.S.S. Charr (SS-328) in Hawaii, Fiji, Kapingamarangi Atoll, Pagan Island, and Japan. He achieved the rank of Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class and received an Honorable Discharge. Tom attended BYU in Provo, Utah and Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry and Secondary Education. He was a graduate student in math/science education at the University of Chicago. He received a Master’s Degree from Carnegie Library School (now Carnegie-Mellon University) in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He taught chemistry/math/biology at Shelly (Idaho) High School. He worked as an Analytical Chemist at Simplot Fertilizer Co. in Pocatello, Idaho. He was also an Analytical Chemist for Phillips Petroleum, contractor for The US Atomic Energy Commission in Arco, Idaho while living in Blackfoot, Idaho. He worked as an Instrument Engineer for The Callery Chemical Division of Mine Safety Appliance in Callery, Pennsylvania near Pittsburg while living in Evans City, then as a Librarian and Liquid Metals Editor for MSA Research Corp another Division of Mine Safety Appliance. He worked as a Librarian/Patents Coordinator for Pfaudler (Sybron Corp) in Rochester, New York. He was recruited to be the Director of a Technical Information Center at the University of Rochester. He later worked as a Pharmaceutical Librarian for Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co. in Syracuse, New York while living in Chittenango, New York. Finally, he was the Manager of Corporate Information Services for BASF Corp., the largest chemical company in the world, in Wyandotte, Michigan, living in New Boston, Michigan. After retiring he lived in New Jersey before moving to Boise, Idaho in 2015. Tom was known for his many talents, skills, and hobbies. He raised rabbits; built model airplanes and ships. He did his own automobile repairs (including body work and rebuilding an engine); electronics (including building an amplifier and preamp from kits). He enjoyed woodworking (including building a rocking horse still being used by great-grandchildren, made a bunk bed and drop-leaf table and did lathe work); and carpentry (including building a two-car garage). He also enjoyed beekeeping (he had over 30 hives, sold honey and hand dipped beeswax candles at a farmer’s market); photography (including developing and printing in a dark room); gardening and canning; sewing; welding; gun collecting and target shooting. He was a handyman (if something was broken, he would fix it rather than throw it away). In retirement he took a story writing course and began to write some stories for his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids based on some of the experiences in his life. He married Shirlee Hubbard on May 3, 1951 in Logan, Utah. They were later divorced. He married Irmgard Degner on Feb 12, 1968 in Soda Springs, Idaho. He was preceded in death by his parents Thomas Ernest Johnston and Mildred Barnes Johnston, his sister, Joyce Pearl Bennion, his first wife, Shirlee Hubbard Johnston, and his second wife, Irmgard Degner Johnston. He is survived by two sons and two daughters, 27 grandchildren and step-grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren. Stuart Johnston (Judy) of Fort Worth, Texas Jenny Johnston (Mac Burgess) of Bozeman, Montana Ian Burgess Eric Burgess Linnea Burgess Stuart Allen Johnston (Renee) of Juneau, Alaska Christopher Johnston of Billings, Montana Grant Johnston of Euless, Texas Becky Kingston of Fort Worth Ava Kingston Cooper Kingston Chad Willman (Lara) of Fort Worth Jeremy Willman Camden Willman Russell Johnston (Shirley) of Boise, Idaho Stephanie Morris (Kenyon) of Mesa, Arizona Ethan Morris Timothy Morris Adelia Morris Jonathan Morris Lydia Morris Mark Johnston (Stephanie) of Linthicum Heights, Maryland Emma Johnston Kaylee Johnston Samuel Johnston Sarah Denise Davis of Colorado Springs, Colorado Aaron Davis Daniel Johnston (Anne) of Downers Grove, Illinois Theresa Godfrey (Matthew) of Amherst, Massachusetts Eliza Godfrey Diana Godfrey Laura Johnston of Boise, Idaho Benjamin Puckett (Myra) of Boise, Idaho Ronin Puckett Jade Puckett Randall Puckett (Julie) of Searcy, Arkansas Ricky (Brooke) Ramierz of Boise, Idaho Jacob Puckett Nicholas Puckett Josephine Puckett Caleb Puckett Hunter Puckett Matthew Puckett Nadia Puckett Liam Puckett Rachelle Patterson (Zane) of Boise, Idaho Kathleen Merkley (Robert) of Queen Creek, Arizona Rebecca Hale (Spencer) of Queen Creek, Arizona Rachel Hale Kaitlyn Hale Kimberlee Hale Nathan Hale Adam Hale Stephen Merkley of Tempe, Arizona Jacob Merkley (Joselyn) of Mesa, Arizona Kori Kaylyn Merkley Maryn Merkley Daniel Merkley (Jannae) of San Tan Valley, Arizona Rosilyn Merkley Harper Merkley Finley Merkley Sarah Troutman (Jeff) of Gilbert, Arizona Hannah Tibbitts (Collin) of Mesa, Arizona Grace Tibbitts Emma Tibbitts Kirsten Johnston-Nakhal (late Aiman Nakhal) of Saudi Arabia Junaya Nakhal (Rami Dibas) Elias Dibas Iman Nakhal Ibrahim Nakhal Ahmed Nakhal Sarah Nakhal