Eldie Wiley Johnston

Born in Monticello, Maine, and raised in Aroostook County, Eldie’s life was shaped by her deep love of people, learning, and the natural world. She began her education at Ricker Junior College in Houlton, later earning her nursing degree in Bangor. After launching her family, she pursued further studies, completing her Bachelor’s in Nursing at William Paterson University in New Jersey and her Master’s in Nursing at New York University in New York City.

Eldie dedicated her career to caring for others, practicing in many areas of nursing. In the 1970s, she traveled to the UK to study with pioneers in the hospice movement and returned to help establish one of the first inpatient hospices in the United States. Her leadership as a nursing Director shaped compassionate end-of-life care for countless families. Later, at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, she supported individuals recovering from life-altering conditions, leaving a legacy of healing and empathy.

Beyond her profession, Eldie was an artist at heart. She explored sculpture, pastels, and watercolor; however, she expressed her creativity most vividly in her gardens. At her beloved home, Rocky Reach, in Bath, Maine, on the banks of the Kennebec River, she renovated a historic 200-year-old property and cultivated beautiful gardens that brought joy to all who visited. She shared her passion through years of service with the Bath Garden Club, where she served as president, and as a devoted volunteer at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay.

Those who knew Eldie will remember her energy, warmth, and boundless enthusiasm. She had a gift for making holidays magical, for listening deeply, and for making every person she loved feel cherished. She carried within her both a great enthusiasm for art and nature, and an abiding love for the state of Maine, which remained her heart’s home.

Eldie was preceded in death by her husband, John D. Johnston Jr. (Jack). She is survived and deeply missed by her children Michelle, Dru, and Neill; her grandchildren Joshua, Christopher, Jonathan, and Michael; her great-grandchildren Raya, Kenna, and Basil; and her dear sister Diane and brother Paul (she dropped the “in-law” many years ago).

She will be laid to rest beside her husband at Oak Grove Cemetery in Bath, Maine. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Eldie’s memory may be made to the Bath Garden Club or the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens—two places that reflect her lifelong devotion to beauty, community, and nature.

While her family and friends will miss her dearly, her love, creativity, and spirit will continue to bloom in the lives she touched.