Florence Jean Johnston

Florence Jean Johnston

Died peacefully in her sleep on January 25, 2018 at the age of 98.

Born on January 5, 1920 (to Charles Nathanael Harris and Dorothy May Atkinson) and educated in Winnipeg, she had just begun a teaching career when she met and married (in 1943) her true love, Charles, and moved to Port Arthur where he had a position at the Port Arthur Clinic and where they raised their family of four sons and devoted themselves to their community. 

Some of her positions were: President Anglican Church Women, Church of St. Michael and All Angels; Member, Auxiliary to the General Hospital of Port Arthur (for 60 years), President (1967-68); Member, Council for Ontario Health Services Insurance Plan (1969-72); Member and Vice-Chairman, Ontario Advisory Council on Senior Citizens (1978-84); President, Northwestern Ontario Ladies Curling Association (1977); President, Progressive Conservative Riding Association, Port Arthur-Nipigon (1973); Chair, Hosts and Hostesses, Jeux Canada Games (1981); Seat Endowment Chair, Thunder Bay Community Auditorium (1982), Member and President, Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Board of Directors (1998); Member, Lakehead University Board of Governors (1987-93).

In 2005, she began another career, as an author. With encouragement from her publisher son, Tim, she wrote and published a memoir, Guess Who!, followed by Guess Who! Again! in 2007, and Letters to My Grandchildren in 2010, in which she wrote about her beloved husband (who died in 1985), her family, her many friends, her travels, her various roles, her favourite places (Lake Shebandowan and Maui, Hawaii). One of her fondest memories was of meeting Queen Elizabeth in July 1973.

Her public service was recognized by many awards and honours: Honorary Life Member, Hospital Auxiliaries Association of Ontario (1975); First Lady of the Year, Beta Sigma Phi International, Thunder Bay Inter-Chapter Council (1983); City of Thunder Bay Achievement Award (1985); 125th Anniversary Medal (1992); Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International (1993); President's Award, Thunder Bay Community Auditorium (1995); Fellow of the University, Lakehead University (1998); Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal (2002), Honorary Diploma, Confederation College (2008). 

She is survived by her loving sons and daughters-in-law: Charles and Linda, Gordon and Avril, Paul and Margaret, and Tim and Mary Jane, and by seven grandchildren to whom she was their beloved G'ma: Jennifer (Acy), Chuck, Jessica, Brandon (Lianne), Nealey (Jon), Ashley, and Christine (Trevor), and by five great-grandchildren: Chloë, Evan, Abigail, Hope and Esmée. They all are grateful to her kind and helpful caregivers: Kathleen Moore, and the staff at Glacier Ridge, and the staff at Pinewood Court. 

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 1:00 pm in the Chapel of the Sargent & Son Funeral Home, 21 N. Court Street with Rev. Gordon Holroyd officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be held one hour prior to service time.
In lieu of flowers, friends are invited to make donations to the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium or to a charity of their choice. On-line condolences may be made at www.sargentandson.com.