Joseph Edward Johnston, of Rome, GA, longtime Clerk of the Superior Court in Floyd County, died at a local hospital December 23, 2012. He was born January 13, 1919 to Sydney and Ruth McLeod Johnston in Rome, Georgia. He was the last living of siblings: Martha Johnston Watson, Frances Johnston King, Helen Johnston Akridge, Guy Johnston and Sidney Johnston. His beloved wife Martha Moore Johnston died in 2003 after 12 years of incapacitation from Alzheimer's Disease, during which he tenderly cared for her at their home.
He is survived by children John Robert Johnston and his wife Pattie Johnston, daughter Lucy Johnston Hale, son-in-law Dr. Steven Hale—all of Cave Spring, Georgia; granddaughter Laura Kaye Johnston, Atlanta; niece Helen Watson of Rome and her children and grandchildren; nephew John King and his wife, Atlanta; and Susan Watson, widow of nephew Ford Watson, Rome, and their children and grandchildren, as well as many cousins including Effie Johnston Hammond who was raised with him.
Extensive public service was traditional in his family. During the Depression, one of his after-school and weekend chores was to tend jars of cooled milk and a large kettle of warm potatoes to give to the stream of men walking from Chattanooga to Atlanta by the family farm (part of which is now Maplewood) searching for work. He was a life member of the Rome Noon Optimist Club, a Master Mason for over 50 years, and a devoted member and past commander at the American Legion, Shanklin-Attaway Post. He was a founding and lifelong member of the Floyd County Democratic Association.
He attended North Georgia College on a baseball and tennis scholarship. After graduation, he married the love of his life, Martha Moore and enlisted in the Army to fight World War II. During the war, he was a Supply Sergeant in Battalion 101 in New Guinea under continuous air bombardment. When his battalion was cut off from all supply sources, he hitched rides on Army planes to gather food for these troops from generous Australian civilians. Because of lack of medical supplies, he and the majority of his battalion suffered chronic malaria, but in spite of illness, fulfilled their duties.
When he returned to Rome after World War II, he became the manager of Graves Harper Coal Company, of which his brother was part owner, providing coal to almost all businesses and homes in Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama.
Then he served as a Georgia Internal Revenue agent, advising small businesses. At this time he also served for several years as a special Governor's Council representative for Rome and Northwest Georgia.
He was elected and served several terms as Floyd County Deputy Clerk of Court. Then he was elected Floyd County Clerk of Court, serving eight consecutive terms until he retired at age 89. Throughout his career as Clerk, he earned ongoing state awards for outstanding work.
Joe was steadfast in commitment to watch-guarding the rights of all citizens to fair and respectful treatment in the court system, which he believed to be the cornerstone of our democratic freedoms. When asked who exactly was his boss, he proudly answered “Every person in Floyd County.”
Without seeking public credit, he initiated and/or supported numerous needed community services. For example, before free lunches were available in schools through government sources, he arranged for his American Legion post to provide free lunches to children in Rome elementary schools. And until his death, he was a quiet but significant donor to many small churches in our area. He was someone whom many people trusted and came to for advice.
Pallbearers include Mike Burton, Bernard Jackson, Wayne Shellnut, Steve Craw, Doug Holt and Donald Evans. Honorary pallbearers include Bob Moss, Bobby Lee Cook, Barbara Penson, and all Floyd County Deputy Court Clerks.
The family received friends from 1 p.m. To 3 p.m. Thursday, December 27, 2012, at Daniel's Funeral Home, Second Avenue. Graveside services were held at 3:30 p.m.Thursday, December 27, 2012, in the East View Cemetery, Rome, with military rites provided by the Honor Guard of the Shanklin-Attaway Post. No. 5 of the American Legion.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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