James Leroy Johnston

Jim fought diabetes and heart issues for the last several years. Jim was born May 08, 1953 at Menorah Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri to Doris Jean Hill Johnston and to Billy Joe Johnston.

Jim is preceded in death by his younger brother, Johnny Bill, whom Jim adored.

Jim is survived by his parents, Billy Joe and Doris Jean Johnston, and two brothers, Chester Dale Johnston of Harrisonville, Joseph Craig Johnston (Brenda Cheryl Johnston) of Raymore.

Jim was baptized into Christ at the Southside Church of Christ in August of 1969. Jim was always an active member of the Church, which was always his first love. In Jim's early years he went to Raymore-Peculiar High School and graduated in 1972. Jim started his work career as a meat boner and worker for Harold Lambrecht Meat Packing Company. After several years the meat plant shut down and Jim started driving a truck and later retired from Ashland Cement Company. After retirement, Jim went to work for Travis Van Voorst, whom Jim adored and loved working for at Double V. Jim drove over the road for several years for Travis. After retiring again, Jim drove for Vulcan Labs to West Texas to help with one of Vulcan's new customers. Jim was always a hard worker and knew all the DOT regulations and weigh stations, but his real specialty was knowing where the best food was, as Jim loved to eat. Two things about Jim, everyone knew his birthday and that he loved blackberry cobbler.

Jim will always be remembered as someone always giving advice, but was never good at taking advice. Jim always loved setting up gospel meetings, and had great respect for many gospel preachers, such as Ardie Brown, Grover Stevens, Wayne Geoff and Felix Salazar, to name a few. Jim also retired as a Colonel from the 51st in which he was very active. Jim was also very active in the NRA and upon retirement Charlton Heston personally gave Jim two awards for his distinguished service to the NRA. Jim was also an avid deer hunter and always tried to work his job around deer hunting and the State Fair. Jim loved giving his nieces, nephews and gave nieces and nephews a hard time, scaring them, as he always told them that he had a grizzly bear in the back of his pickup. Jim also enjoyed watching his nephew drag race. Jim will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

After retirement Travis gave Jim a Cat named Chauncey, whom Jim set in his recliner with and watched John Wayne movies. That cat could do no wrong. When Jim moved into assisted living, the only thing he worried about was his cat Chauncey. Joe now has Chauncey, which allowed Jim to stop by and visit.

Memorial services will be held for Jim at Raymore Church of Christ (107 N. Woodson Raymore Dr, MO 64083).

A visitation will take place at Raymore Church of Christ on March 1, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM.

A memorial funeral will follow at Raymore Church of Christ at 2:00 PM.

A celebration of life will immediately follow the funeral at Centerview (227 Municipal Cir., Raymore, MO 64083).