Robert L. Johnston

Carmel ~ Robert L. Johnston was born to Oscar Emil and Gertrude Miller Johnston on February 29, 1924 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and died peacefully at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula on October 31, 2012. He was a graduate of the University of Minnesota (B.A.), a Rhodes Scholar at Lincoln College, Oxford University, England (M.A.) and received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. During World War II, Bob proudly served for three years in the U.S. Army, 10th Mountain Division (ski troops), 87th Regiment, and saw combat in Italy. His awards included the Bronze Star.

As a returning GI at the University of Minnesota, Bob joined a group of internationally-minded students to organize a unique, student-run, study abroad program, the Student Project for Amity among Nations, better known as SPAN, and served as the first President of the non-profit SPAN Association. Sixty-five years later, this program has grown to include all 17 Minnesota colleges and universities, and more than 4,000 students have shared the SPAN experience in over 75 countries.

It was through SPAN that Bob met his future wife, Donna Harkness, another Minneapolis native. They were married on August 12, 1950 by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Chapel of the Old Palace in Canterbury, Kent.

Bob began his career in education as Assistant Professor of Government at Mills College in Oakland and visiting lecturer at San Francisco State, Stanford and UC Berkeley from 1953 – 1963. For the next fifteen years, he was based in London, England, where he served as Director of the Harkness Fellowships of The Commonwealth Fund of New York, an international exchange program comparable to the Rhodes Scholarships, offering fellowships in the U.S. to young people from Britain, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. And then, for something completely different, Bob spent another ten years as a real estate investment consultant in both England and California.

During his time in England, Bob served on the boards of the American School in London, the U.S.-U.K. Educational (Fulbright) Commission, and the Institut d'Etudes Americaines, Paris. Upon return to the U.S. in 1982, he and Donna settled on the Monterey Peninsula where Bob quickly became involved in community activities, serving as member and chair of the Monterey County Overall Economic Development Commission (1984-90), Foreman Pro Tem of the 1993 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury and Founding President of the Monterey County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association, 1994-96.

Additionally, Bob was a board member of the Center for Community Advocacy and served on the Salvation Army's Social Services Committee and the Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council. He was also an active member of SIR (Sons in Retirement), Branch 115 (now the Stillwater Club) and the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division. Bob was an avid reader who enjoyed good conversation, bridge and gardening. He loved to entertain and to tell jokes and stories.

Bob was a man of absolute integrity, possessed of great intelligence, charm and quick wit, with an abiding interest in and concern for others. He loved his family and his friends, and they loved him. We are all now the custodians of the values he lived by.

Bob is survived by Donna, his wife of 62 years; his daughter, Merry (Geoff) Arnold of Boston and his son, Geoffrey Johnston of Carmel Valley; his grandchildren, the Rev. Christopher (Celeste Williams) Arnold, Kate Gallagher and Alex Johnston and his great-grandchildren, Thomas and Victoria Gallagher. He is also survived by his sister, Virginia Schauss of Santa Cruz and nieces, Kathy Stephens (Bob Fust) and Pat Schauss. He was preceded in death by his brother, Harold Johnston, and niece, Peg Schauss.

According to Bob’s wishes, there will be no services. An informal gathering of friends and family will be held at a later date. Memorial gifts may be made to Doctors Without Borders, 333 Seventh Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001, or to a charity of choice.