Warren Johnston

Services are scheduled at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, November 20 at First Baptist Church for Warren T. Johnston, 1610 W. Sears Ave., Artesia, New Mexico. Mr. Johnston, 87, died Monday, November 17, 2008 at Artesia Good Samaritan Center. Rev. Rick Sullivan will officiate at the services with burial at Woodbine Cemetery. Pallbearers will be grandsons Cole Johnston, Stuart Johnston, Stephen Johnston, Lance Atkins, and Adam Dyas, and nephews Kenny Bason, Tommy Johnston, and Jerry Hutchison. Honorary pallbearers will be all Artesia Association of Educational Retirees members and members of the Adult 7 Sunday School Class. Visitation will be at Terpening Son Mortuary beginning at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday Warren was born August 22, 1921 in Grainola, Oklahoma; the son of Thomas Jackson Johnston and Maudie Fay Harman Johnston. He honorably served his country in the United States Marine Corps. On May 28, 1949 he was married to Shirleen Campbell in Albuquerque, N.M. They came to Artesia in 1950 from Farmington, N.M. He was a public school teacher; teaching business in Farmington from 1946 to 1950. He taught business at Artesia High School from 1950 until his retirement; and managed the Artesia School Employees Credit Union from 1956 to 1986. He was an active member of First Baptist Church, the Artesia Association of Educational Retirees, a lifetime member of the National Education Association, and was an avid bridge player and Bulldog fan. He was preceded in death by a daughter Karen Denise Johnston; a brother Wayne E. Johnston; and sisters Thelma Self, Wilma Bason, Laura Fay Sullivan, and Juanita May Sartori. Survivors include his wife Shirleen Johnston of the family home; sons W. Dee Johnston and wife Ann of North Richland Hills, Texas and Ronald D. Johnston and wife Tammy of Artesia; a daughter Donna F. Dyas of Gilbert, Arizona; a sister Helen J. Hutchison of Farmington; and a brother Robert U. Johnston of Fallon, Nevada. Also surviving are grandchildren Haley Connard and husband Jess, Cole Johnston, Leslie Atkins and husband Lance, Stuart Johnston, Stephen Johnston, Allyson Roesch and husband Whit, Amy Dyas, Adam Dyas and wife Becki; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Vision 2000 at First Baptist Church, 322 W. Grand Ave., Artesia, NM 88210.