Mervyn H. Johnston
Johnston, Mervyn H., 90, of Brewer and Milo, on December 27, 2012. A graveside service at the family lot in Evergreen Cmetery, Milo, will be held in the spring. Arrangements are in the care of the Lary Funeral Home, Milo.
Mervyn H. Johnston
BREWER and MILO — Merv Johnston, 90, passed away on December 27, 2012, at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor after a brief illness. For 63 years Merv was the loving and devoted husband of Pearl (Hoskins) Johnston. Merv was born February 8, 1922, in Toronto, Canada, the son of William J. and Sarah (Gray) Johnston and he never lost his close connection to Canada. He was employed by the Canadian Pacific Railroad in Brownville Junction and retired from the B&A Railroad in Bangor after 32 years as the Auditor of Revenue. Merv’s passion for the railroad never waned – even after being retired for over 30 years.
Merv was a U.S. Army veteran; he served in WWII and he graduated from Husson College in 1950. He was also a member of the Pleasant River Masonic Lodge, Anah Temple Shrine and the First United Methodist Church of Bangor.
When their family was young, Merv and Pearl frequently took their boys camping, and a love of the outdoors was instilled in Cliff and Bryce. Later on Merv and Pearl enjoyed spending their winters in Florida.
Merv was an avid reader and loved to read anything to do with the history of Maine, L.L.Bean and the railroads. A loyal Red Sox fan, Merv was thrilled to have seen them win not one, but two World Series, something he never thought he would see in his lifetime. Ever the humble and quiet man, Merv was the ultimate gentleman, husband, father and grandfather. He optimistically planted a small garden every summer, he played Sudoku as often as possible, and he ate his beans and franks every Saturday night.
Merv is survived by his wife, Pearl of Brewer; his son, Clifford M. Johnston and his wife, Donna of Little Rock, Arkansas; his son, Bryce R. Johnston and his wife, Stacie of Yarmouth; and a brother, Lloyd Johnston of Milo. Merv was very proud of his granddaughters, Wendi Johnston Kimball of Mobile, Alabama, and Kelsie Johnston of Yarmouth; his three step-grandchildren – Scott, Kathryn, and Stan; as well as his two great-grandchildren, Emily and Casey Kimball.
A gathering of remembrance and a celebration of Merv’s life was held 10 a.m.-noon Friday, January 4, 2013, at The Hilton Garden Inn on Haskell Road in Bangor. A graveside service at the family lot in Evergreen Cemetery, Milo, will be held in the spring. Memorial gifts may be sent to the American Lung Association of Maine, P.O. Box 2109, Augusta, ME, 04338-2109, or the American Heart Association, 51 U.S. Route 1, Suite M, Scarborough, ME 04074. Arrangements are made in the care of Lary Funeral Home, Milo. Messages of condolence and memories may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.