Leo C. Johnston

Leo C. Johnston, age 66, of Mitchell, died Saturday, June 3, 2006, at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff. A memorial service will be 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, June 7, 2006, at Zion Evangelical Church in Scottsbluff with Pastor Garry Schick officiating. Cremation was at Sunset Memorial Park Crematory. Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel and Cremation Services is in charge of the arrangements. Leo was born March 23, 1940, at Warsaw, Missouri to Leo S. and Lila (Norris) Johnston. He moved with his family to Gering as a young child where he grew up and graduated from the Gering High School. He joined the National Guard at the age of 15 and later worked for the Lockwood Corporation. On June 12, 1960, he married Joyce Becker at Zion Evangelical Church in Scottsbluff. They lived in Grand Island where he worked for the Hoover Company and in Denver, Colorado where he worked for Fred Schmidts Appliances. In 1974, they returned to Scottsbluff and purchased the Modern Cleaners at Mitchell operating it until selling the business in 1984. He then worked as a salesman for Kizzers Chevrolet until March of 1988 when he started his own business Leo’s Used Cars in Mitchell retiring in May of 2005. He was active on the Mitchell City Council and served as President. He was a member of Zion Evangelical Church and served on the church council. He was also a member of the Mitchell Booster’s Club and helped to build the Mitchell Golf Course. Leo loved to travel. His main interest was his family especially his grandchildren. He was a loving and strong grandpa and was our best friend. Survivors include his wife, Joyce Johnston; son and daughter-in-law (like his own daughter), Leo S. and Rhonda Johnston; grandson, Juston Johnston; granddaughter, Jacee Johnston all of Chesterfield, Virginia; sisters, Mary Ellen Walter of Gering, Betty (John) Metz of Denver, Colorado and Barbara (Keith) Rice of Colorado Springs, Colorado; brothers, Clifford (Connie) Johnston of Thermopolis, Wyoming and Duane (Lori) Johnston of Hilmar, California; father-in-law, George Becker of Scottsbluff; sister-in-law, Gari (Clifford) Robinson of Scottsbluff; brother-in-law, Norman (Ethel) Becker of Auburn, Washington; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Robert Johnston; and sister, Hanna Johnston.