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Submitted: 11/21/14 • Approved: 11/26/14 • Last Updated: 11/29/14 • R1053042-G0-S3
CAPTAIN US Army
World War II
May 3, 1917 - May 20, 2006
*Obituary
The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
FAYETTEVILLE — Dr. T.H. "Ted" Johnston, 89, of Butterfield Trail Village in Fayetteville, died May 20, 2006. He was born May 3, 1917, in Antelope County, Neb. He received a B.S. degree and M.S. degree in 1940 and 1942 from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He was an Army veteran of World War II serving as a field artillery officer. He was discharged as a captain. In 1946, he joined the faculty of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater as an assistant agronomist in small grains research. In 1953, be earned a Ph.D. in crop breeding from Iowa State University in Ames.
He moved to Stuttgart as a research agronomist with the US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service to lead the University of Arkansas cooperative state/federal rice improvement project at the Rice Research and Extension Center for 30 years. During this time, 12 improved rice varieties were developed, including Starbonnet, Newbonnet, Mars and Nortai, which added untold millions of dollars in value to rice crops in Arkansas and the southern United States. Starbonnet ranked above all other varieties in total production in the United States.
Dr. Johnston coordinated the cooperative state/federal rice performances and disease nurseries for 10 years. He was active in the Rice Technical Working Group for 30 years. He received the Distinguished Service Award in 1976, and the Distinguished Rice Research and Education Team Award in 1988. He was recognized by rice industry organizations for "outstanding contributions to the Arkansas and American rice industry."
He was a member of the American Society of Agronomy since 1940. He was named a Fellow by the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 1979, he received the prestigious Superior Service Award from the USDA.
Alter retiring from the USDA, he spent four years as a consultant rejuvenating the USDA World Rice Collection. He moved to Fayetteville in 1987 and served as adjunct professor, department of agronomy and the University of Arkansas. In that capacity, he helped edit the Rice Research Report series for many yeas.
While in Stuttgart, he was a member of Grand Avenue United Methodist Church and sang in the church choirs for 70 years. He also taught Sunday school and was a certified lay speaker. He was involved in the Boy Scout program for more than 25 years and served for a time as Scoutmaster of Grand Avenue's Troop 84.
He was active in the local PTA and worked with the state legislature to provide driver education in the schools. He served with the Civil Music Association and was a Paul Harris Fellow for the Stuttgart Rotary Club. He was an avid birdwatcher and a member of the Audubon Society.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Marian Swanson Johnston; two sons, Keith E. Johnston of Berkeley, Calif., and Col. Wayne R. Johnston of Conway; three grandchildren, 2nd Lt. Daniel Johnston of Indianapolis, currently serving in Kosovo, Elizabeth Johnston of Kansas City, Kan., and Nicole Johnston of Berkeley; two brothers, Dr. Wallace Johnston of Portland, Ore., John R. Johnston of Chandler, Ariz.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Sequoyah United Methodist Church in Fayetteville. Burial will be in Fairview Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Moore's Chapel in Fayetteville.
Memorials may be made to Sequoyah United Methodist Church or the American Parkinson's Disease Association, Parkinsons Plaza, 136 Parkinsons Ave., Staten Island, New York, NY 10305-1425.
*Veterans Garden, Section V
Contributed on 11/21/14 by wfields55
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Record #: 1053042