Myrline Hicks Johnston

Born October 24, 1924, Mildred Myrline Johnston - “Myrl” to her close friends and family - was the eldest of 12 children of Ben and Nettie (Cato) Hicks of Pageland, SC. On Sunday, June 1, 2025, she was reunited with her husband of 64 years, Bill Johnston. She is survived by her sisters, Ann Knight, Carolyn Couick, Sandra Jackson and Judy Plattenburger and her brother, Roger Hicks. She is also survived by three children, Greg (Marie), Cindi (Gary), and Joel (Lauren). A late addition to the family, Nicky, the poodle, was Myrline’s adored “fourth child” and was with her for 20 years after her children left home. She was a vocal and supportive fan of her grandchildren, Jason, Marc, Lindsay, Salem and Sawyer and a memorable great-grandmother to Cameron, Avery, Isabelle, Kennedy and Rudy.

Her grandfather, the Reverend Robert Wylie Cato, had a profound influence on her early life, instilling in her a steadfast Christian faith that endured throughout her life. She lived her life with dignity, confidence and a joy that lifted those around her, comforting and guiding those who knew her well - and many others who did not.

At an early age, Myrline contracted spinal meningitis and had to relearn how to walk and speak. That experience forged in her a grit, persistence and work ethic that lasted the next nine decades. Myrline was born into a family of modest means. Her remarkable and unforgettable mother, Nettie, had to work to help support the family. In her absence, Myrl took on a maternal role to her younger siblings and continued as family matriarch when Nettie passed away in 2005.

She graduated from Pageland High School and attended Carolina Business College in Charlotte. She began her career as a bookkeeper at Pittsburg Paint and Glass Company in Charlotte, NC., where she met Bill. They married in 1948 and started their family. She and Bill raised their children to be independent and strong-willed and she was proud they all turned out that way - possibly to a fault.

The family lived in Charlotte until 1966 when they relocated to Columbia, SC and later to High Point, NC in 1973. In 2000, Bill and Myrline returned to Charlotte to be closer to their children and large extended family. With every move, they quickly found and joined a church and were very involved in the church and community wherever they resided. Myrline loved singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School and leading bible study classes. The congregations at Hickory Grove Baptist in Charlotte, Temple Baptist in Columbia, and High Point Baptist in High Point became like extended family and a foundation of Myrline’s life. She delighted in singing from the Southern Baptist hymnal - right up to her final day.

Myrline was a fantastic cook and well-known for her apple pies, for which she won several cooking contests. A self-taught master of sewing, crochet, cross-stitch, knitting, and quilting, Myrline rarely sat idle. She won many awards for her creations and enjoyed donating them or giving them to friends and family.

She was a highly competitive board game and card player, winning local bridge tournaments regularly, which she delighted in discussing with anyone who would listen. She often played the game Sorry with her mother and whoever lost would immediately ask to play another round. Her competitiveness was most assuredly genetic and, even more assuredly, passed on to her children. She was an avid UNC Tarheel basketball fan and especially loved watching them play during the ACC tournament and March Madness.

She had a sharp business mind and was proud of her role as Executive Assistant for the James F. Byrnes Foundation in Columbia, SC. She also served as the operational and organizational heart of W.C. Johnston Sales, a business she and Bill built and ran together after their move to High Point.

One hundred years of life is impossible to summarize - especially for someone who touched so many lives in quiet but profound ways. Myrline Johnston was a force of nature that remained steady and strong, never overwhelming. She was honest, compelling, and guided by a steadfast faith that underpinned her life. She will be missed.

A private graveside service for the immediate family will be held on June 19, 2025. Visitation for friends and extended family will follow from 1:30 – 3:30 at McEwen Funeral Home, 5716 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC.

Memorial donations may be made in memory of Myrline Johnston to Via Health Partners, Charlotte Region, PO Box 470408, Charlotte, NC 28247 or Providence Baptist Church, 4921 Randolph Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211.