Mr. George Allister (Al) Johnston passed away peacefully in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hospice Unit, on Wednesday, April 8th, 2015 with family by his side.
Al was born on May 31st, 1928 in Hamiota, MB to Wilfred and Janet Johnston. He grew up working first on the family farm and then on neighbouring farms before leaving to work in Saskatchewan and BC. He began hauling pipe for TransCanada Pipeline in Manitoba and followed the construction east as far as Port Arthur where he was hired permanently in 1959. He retired in 1993 after 34 years with TransCanada.
Al was a quiet man who enjoyed working with wood, making toys for his grandchildren, outdoor furniture and pretty much anything we asked him to build. He was always willing and eager to help with any kind of work and believed things should be fixed, not replaced. Al liked to golf, curl, bowl and snowmobile in his younger days and always enjoyed watching baseball, hockey and curling on TV. Most mornings started with a walk to the coffee shop for a chat with the boys.
Al will be sadly missed by his loving wife of 52 years Dorothy (Goodwill), son Wayne and his wife Vida (Magajna) in Ottawa, daughter Gail and her husband Ron Iwanonkiw, grandchildren Caitlin and Erin Johnston (Ottawa), Alyssa and Greg Iwanonkiw, sister Joyce Church and brother Barry Johnston (Brandon, MB), sisters-in-law Evelyn Roney, Joan Goodwill (Souris, MB) and Patricia Goodwill (Edmonton, AB) as well as numerous nieces and nephews across Canada and the US.
Al was predeceased by his parents, his brother and sister-in-law Carlyle and Catherine, brother-in-law Don Church, sister-in-law Mary Johnston and nephew Cameron Johnston.
Sincere thanks to special friends and neighbours Joan & Lorne Saxberg and Fred & Joyce Freamo for all their assistance and support during Al’s illness. Thank you to the doctors, nurses and staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital - Hospice Unit and Thunder Bay Regional Hospital for the exceptional care you provided.
A Memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 4, 2015 in the Chapel of Harbourview Funeral Centre, 499 North Cumberland Street. A visitation for family and friends will be held one hour prior to the service. If friends so desire, In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Al’s memory to St. Josephs Foundation- Hospice Unit or a charity of your choice.
