Richard C. Johnstone

Richard Carlton Johnstone, a resident of Nashua, New Hampshire for the past 14 years, and formerly of Walpole, and Dedham, died Saturday, January 24th, 2009 at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, New Hampshire.  He was 86.  Dick was born August 13, 1922 in Waltham, Massachusetts, the only child of James and Erna (Bergesen) Johnstone.  He grew up in Waltham and graduated from Waltham High School with the Class of 1940.  He was the captain of the football team at Waltham High and later was elected to the Waltham High School Football Hall of Fame.  Dick graduated from Bowdoin College where he was a member of the Zeta Psi Fraternity and where he was the captain of both the football and baseball teams.  He was the All State Quarterback at Bowdoin in 1942.  Dick was also proud of the fact that he served for 10 consecutive years as the President of his Class, starting in Junior High School and continuing through High School and College.  In August of 1942 he entered the United States Marine Corps and began active service on August 11, 1943.  He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal by the Secretary of the Navy on behalf of the President.  His citation reads “For heroic achievement as a Mortar Section Leader and later as an an Acting Assault Platoon Leader of the Third Battalion, Twenty-seventh Marines, Fifth Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, from 19 February, to 23 March 1945.  When the leader of an assault platoon was killed during an attack on 13 March and the platoon became badly disorganized, Second Lieutenant Johnstone reorganized the men into an efficient fighting unit and immediately pushed forward in a successful attack upon a series of stubbornly defended and mutually supported cave positions.  On 17 March, after a reorganization of the battalion, he again volunteered to lead a new platoon in an attack against the last pocket of enemy resistance on the Island.  By his courageous fighting spirit and devotion to duty throughout, he contributed materially to the success of his Battalion during the operation and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”  Dick ended his active service with the Marines on June 21, 1946 and was honorably discharged from the US Marine Corps Reserve s a 1st Lieutenant on October 19, 1949.  After World War Two he worked for the New England Telephone Company for 40 years, rising to the position of Division Sales Manager.  He retired in 1987.  Dick was an active member of the Allin Congregational Church in Dedham, where he served in several capacities including Sunday School Teacher, Church Deacon, and Chairman of the Stewardship Committee.  He was also a member of the Bowdoin Club of Boston, a former member of the Winchester Rotary Club, a Corporator of the Dedham Institute of Savings, and a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America.  He and his wife enjoyed twenty-seven years of retirement in Nashua, New Hampshire, and Siesta Key, Florida.  Dick was known for his friendly and outgoing personality, sense of humor, and loyal friendship by his many friends and business associates.  A loving family man, Dick’s gentle and supportive nature will be sorely missed by his beloved wife, Marion (whom he began dating when they were both thirteen, and to whom he was married for sixty four years); his daughter Jo Ann, and her husband Larrry Vitali of Nashua, New Hampshire; his son, Rick, and his wife Kathy Johnstone of Merrimac, New Hampshire; his grandchildren, Lauren, and her husband Sasha Sobol, Steve, and his wife Susanna Vitali, and Jeff Johnstone; and his great grandchildren Ela and Alex Sobol, and Anna Vitali.  He was the father of the late Rob Johnstone.  Dick, Dad, Bumpa; we all miss you so very much.  Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, January 28th from 6-8 PM at the Folsom Funeral Home, 87 Milton Street, Dedham.  Dick’s funeral will be held Thursday at 11 AM at the Allin Congregational Church, 683 High Street, Dedham.  Private interment will be in Mt Feake Cemetery in Waltham.