David Ralph Johnston

David Ralph Johnston, 76, passed away on January 26, 2013 of congestive heart failure at Franciscan Hospice House. Dave was born on June 6, 1936 in Portland, Oregon to Ralph Edward and Donna [Rowe] Johnston.

Dave grew up in Northeast Portland where he graduated from Grant High School in 1954. He graduated in 1958 from Oregon State College in Corvallis, Oregon where he received a degree in Business Administration and again in 1966 with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering.

During college Dave was active in the Army ROTC Corp of Engineers where he attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He was Honorably Discharged on May 3rd, 1968.

While at OSC Dave met JoAnn Annette Borde - a Gamma Phi Beta sorority girl where Dave became a houseboy - presumably for the free meals (wink wink). They were married on August 30, 1958 in Albany, Oregon. They celebrated their 54th anniversary in 2012.

Dave was hired with Weyerhaeuser Timber Company in Coos Bay, Oregon in 1966 as an industrial engineer. It was here that they met their lifelong friends, Lee & Diana Rowe. Their time there was filled with salmon fishing, crabbing, days at Sunset Beach State Park, company picnics, international dinner parties and crab feeds. Dave bought a 1950 Willy’s Jeep as a daily driver but would frequently take the family for drives on the dunes and beaches of the Oregon Coast.

In the summer of 1970, Dave, JoAnn and their two children moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas when Dave was transferred to Weyerhaeuser’s southern division. While living there, the family took many driving vacations - to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri; the Florida Panhandle; Civil War sites in Vicksburg, Mississippi; Nough (pr. Nuff), Tennessee to take his grandmother, Dona (McDonald) Rowe, to see her place of birth; Dog Patch USA in Harrison, Arkansas and many camping trips to nearby Lake Ouchita.

Their final move took them to Puyallup, Washington when he was transferred to the company’s Federal Way headquarters in the summer of 1973. He retired as a Project Manager in 1995 and had been responsible for many of the company’s mill upgrades and redesigns in Aberdeen, Enumclaw and Raymond, WA and Kamloops, BC, Canada.

In his off-time, Dave enjoyed flying, boating, firefighting, woodworking, tinkering and vacationing in Hawaii. He also took an active role in Tracy’s athletics and even coached her soccer team for several years.

He obtained his Private Pilot’s License on May 31, 1966. Later that same year he passed on his passion for flying to his son, Jeff, who was one of his first passengers. In the late 70‘s, both Dave and Jeff took up sailplane soaring.

In the late 1990’s, Dave and JoAnn enjoyed hosting friends and family on their boat the “SunFlite”. They would cruise the Puget Sound on weekend outings.

Dave served the community of Edgewood, Washington as a volunteer firefighter for Pierce Country Fire Protection District 8 from September of 1981 to December of 1987. He advanced to the rank of Lieutenant and became Communications & Equipment Officer.

Dave greatly enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and attending their sporting events, graduations and birthdays. He will always be known for his sense of humor, infectious personality, attention to detail and devotion to family. Nobody could have asked for a better father, grandfather and husband.

Dave was preceded in death by both his parents.

Dave is survived by his spouse JoAnn of Edgewood, Washington; son Jeff (Annette) Johnston of Tacoma, Washington and grandchildren Stephen, Daniel & Madelyn; daughter Tracy (Patrick) Pletcher of Edgewood, Washington and grandchildren Makenzie and Riley; his brother Roger (Barbara) Johnston of Hillsboro, Oregon; sister Kathleen (Kendall) King of Forest Grove, Oregon; numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws.

A memorial service will be held at Powers Funeral Home, 320 W. Pioneer, Puyallup, WA on Saturday, February 2nd, 2013 at 2:00PM. A viewing will be held from Noon to 2:00PM prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the National Rifle Association or The American Heart Association. Please leave memories on Dave’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/davey.jones.568294 or Power’s online guest book at www.PowersFuneralHome.com and click on Dave’s name.