Robert E. Johnston

Robert E. (Bob) Johnston, 95 passed away August 11, 2025. He was the son of Lee Iden and Margaret Winegarner Johnston. Bob is survived by his friend and loving companion, Karen Bonaventura; children William S. Johnston (Jenny), Lynn Johnston Curry and David T. Johnston.; grandchildren Melissa Johnston Palentino, Ryan Johnston, Ian Curry and Jake Curry and great-grandchildren Ava Rae Palentino, Ella Rose Palentino and Noah Thomas Palentino. In addition to his parents, Bob was preceded in death by his son Todd M. Johnston and his brother Charles L. Johnston.

Bob was one of the founders of the Lancaster law firm Dagger, Johnston, Miller, Ogilvie and Hampson (DaggerLaw) and practiced law in the Lancaster and central Ohio areas for 60 years. He enjoyed the loyalty and friendship of the hundreds of clients he represented during the years of his practice. In many instances, he represented families to the third generation. Bob was a member of the Fairfield County, Perry County, Franklin County and Ohio State Bar Associations. He was a member of the Columbus Bar Foundation and was honored by the Foundation upon fifty years of service to the Bar. He also was honored by the Fairfield County Bar Association with the George D. Martin award for services to that Bar Association.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and a former member of the Lancaster Rotary Club. He served on the Boards of Directors of the Fairfield Heritage Association, The First United Methodist Church, Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, and served on the ad hoc committee which led to the founding of the Lancaster Festival.

Bob graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity of which he served as President, as well as, President of the Interfraternity Council of the University. He received his law degree from the College of Law, University of Cincinnati where he was Associate Editor of the Law Review and matriculated with honors. He served in the Naval Air Reserves from 1951 to 1954 and served from 1954 to 1957 as a Special Agent in the U.S. Military Counter Intelligence.

Bob was an avid student of the Civil War and gave numerous speeches to charitable and civic organizations throughout the mid-Ohio area. His greatest interest was the Battle of Gettysburg. He also made numerous talks about Abraham Lincoln, particularly about Lincoln's life as a lawyer in early Illinois. He was a co-founder of the General William T. Sherman Civil War Roundtable in 1961 and served as its President for several years. Bob was a member of the Gettysburg Foundation, the Civil War Trust and the American Battlefield Trust.

Bob co-chaired, with attorney Bill Sitterly, the committee that founded the Fairfield County Foundation in 1989, serving two terms as President of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation.

Bob provided legal counsel to Fran Utley and her committee in the acquisition of the Georgian Museum and represented the committee in its quest to obtain the ownership of the Sherman House by the Fairfield Heritage Association.

Bob loved golfing and enjoyed playing golf with his many friends at the Lancaster Country Club and many other golf courses throughout central Ohio. He played golf for over 60 years. He made only one hole-in-one during that period of time while playing at Clover Valley Golf Course in Licking County.

Unfortunately, he was playing by himself - no witnesses. Bob enjoyed woodworking and in his small workshop, he made items ranging from jewelry boxes to corner cupboards. He enjoyed giving many of his wood pieces to clients, members of the law firm staff, family and friends. He loved working with cherry, walnut and maple woods, particularly with maple ambrosia. Maple ambrosia is featured by a beautiful purple stripe and tiny holes created by the ambrosia beetle. He loved telling recipients of his pieces not to worry about the beetles, they only come out at night.

Special thanks to Nick and Julie Grilli for their love and support and Ohio Hospice for their care and comfort for Bob.

Bob has requested that no calling hours take place, preferring that he be remembered in life, rather than be viewed in death. Cremation has taken place and his remains shall be interred at Gettysburg National Cemetery near the site of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.