Thomaston - William S. Johnston, Sr., born February 15th, 1922 passed away peacefully on Friday, February 10th. He was 94.

Bill graduated from The Taft School and continued his education at Brown University before entering the Army Air Corps in 1943. As a US Army Air Force Captain, he served with distinction flying B24 Liberators in the China-Burma-India theater (CBI) where he was Squadron Leader on the longest B24 mission of WWII. Captain Johnston was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf clusters, the Air Medal and numerous other awards. After the war, he graduated Brown and began a successful career in New York as a Marketing Executive, eventually founding his own Advertising and Marketing agency, The Johnston Marketing Group in Tarrytown NY. He retired to Thomaston and was active in local politics having been elected Thomaston Town Treasurer.

Bill was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Catherine McElligott of Waterbury.
He is survived by his five children Catherine and Robert Mullin of Acton, MA; Dr. Elizabeth Johnston-O’Connor (B.J) and her husband Daniel of Newtown, William S. Johnston, Jr. of Thomaston, Denise and Robert Cypher of Rye, NY; Monica and Joseph Pepicelli of Littleton, MA and his 13 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild..

Arrangements: Calling hours will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, February 14, at Lyons Funeral Home 46 High St.in Thomaston. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Thomas Catholic Church on Wednesday at 10:30 AM. Burial with full military honors will follow in Old St. Joseph Cemetery in Waterbury.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be sent to the International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF) 6144 Clark Center

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