Dr. Daniel Johnstone

From the time he left school at age 14 to work and help support his family in Glasgow, Scotland, to his years as a fighter pilot during World War II and the Korean Conflict, to his final years when he battled vascular dementia, Dr. Daniel Mackie Johnstone used his intellect and determined, even at times stubborn, character to overcome the challenges in his life. Those battles came to an end Saturday, February 19, 2011. He is now at peace.

Dr. Johnstone was born in Glasgow on April 17, 1920, the only child of John and Mary Mackie Johnstone. His parents struggled financially, so he left school to help support the family. His first job was as a rivet heater in a Glasgow shipyard. Soon he moved on to work at a fine gentleman's outfitter. In addition to his work he started classes at Skerrry's College of Educational Specialisation. Upon completion of this class work, he began his medical studies at Glasgow University.

His education was interrupted in 1940 when, after the Battle of Dunkirk, he joined the Royal Air Force. He was sent to the United States for flight training under the "Arnold scheme" which was proposed by U.S. General Hap Arnold. He trained with the U.S. Army Air Corps at Lakeland, FL, receiving his wings at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, AL. He then served as a flight instructor in Alabama and Canada.

In 1943 he returned to the United Kingdom and was assigned to the RAF's Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment where he began flying the famed British Spitfire as a Test Pilot and Flying Instructor. He continued these duties until the close of World War II and his Class A Release in August of 1946.

After the war he resumed his medical studies in Scotland. He was a graduate of Glasgow University and received his Triple Certification from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Edinburgh. He interned at Law Hospital in Carluke, Scotland.

Dr. Johnstone immigrated to Canada in 1950, and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force serving as a Flight Surgeon during the Korean Conflict. Throughout his medical career, Dr. Johnstone was licensed to practice medicine in the Canadian Provinces of Ontario, Alberta and Prince Edward Island as well as the U.S. States of New Hampshire and Ohio.

In 1952, he came to the United States to begin work with the Eli Lilly Co. at the Lilly Research Laboratories in Indianapolis. The highlight of his time doing clinical research at Eli Lilly was his work on the team that discovered and developed Erythromycin. He wrote the lead paper that lead to the Lilly patent for Erythromycin – a major antibiotic still in use today.

In 1963 he began a year of residency in psychiatry at Columbus State Hospital, followed by two years of residency at Rollman Psychiatric Institute in Cincinnati, and then one year as Assistant Superintendant at Rollman. He then returned to Columbus to take over duties as Superintendant of Columbus Children's Psychiatric Hospital. This was followed by service as Commissioner of Mental Hygiene and Chief of the Bureau of Hospitals for the State of Ohio. Prior to coming to Mansfield he was in the private practice of psychiatry in Columbus and on the psychiatric staff of Riverside Methodist Hospital.

He was recruited to come to Mansfield in 1971 to establish psychiatric services at what is now known as The Center. He maintained a private practice in psychiatry in Mansfield until his final retirement at the age of 80 in June of 2000.

Daniel Johnstone and Margaret Imrie grew up within 15 miles of each other in Scotland, but they first met at Nassau in the Bahamas when a colleague of Dan's told him he should come see this beautiful Scottish lass from Tillicoultry he just bumped into. They were married on December 20 1960. That began fifty years of wonderful, and at times challenging, experiences together. Dan was not an easy man to love, and he found it hard to express his love, but he did truly love Margaret, his son Philip and daughter Sheila. It was easier for him to tell others how much he cared for his family than to tell them.

He is survived by his wife Margaret Imrie Johnstone of Mansfield; his son Philip Daniel Johnstone and his wife Cynthia of Hockley, TX their family – sons Steven, Sean and Cody Cortnie Wellman and their son Chaston and daughter Chandley also all of TX; his daughter Sheila Anne Holloway and her husband Philip of Mansfield their family son Erin Nicola Holloway with daughters Neve Caitlin and Anna Rose of Leesburg, VA, daughter Rachel Holloway Schag and her husband Matt of Bellville and their son Hudson Matthew and daughter Sophia Grace. Carolyn Zajack and Danell Allen have also become like daughters and part of the Johnstone family. Dan was also blessed with the special friendship of John and Ruth Darby. Even as his illness progressed Dan looked forward to luncheon dates, movies and chess matches with John.

Dr. Johnstone had been a member of the American Medical Association, Richland County Medical Society, Ohio State Medical Association, Academy of Medicine of Columbus, American Medical Writers' Association and Westbrook Country Club.

Out of respect for Dr. Johnstone's wishes, the family will not have any formal services. They will hold a celebration of his life at an Open House on Saturday, February 26, 2011, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at his residence. Friends are asked to take note of this invitation. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions honoring the life of Dr. Daniel M. Johnstone be made to the Dewald Community Center of The Salvation Army, 47 South Main Street, Mansfield, OH 44902.

From the first time he took the controls of a plane to his last time soaring in the heavens, Dan never lost his love for flying. Throughout his life he owned twenty-six different airplanes which he and Margaret used to travel throughout the country. He often read and quoted the poem High Flight which captured for him the wonder of flight. The poem was written by fellow RCAF pilot John Gillespie Magee.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air. .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.