Douglas Edward Johnston of McKinney, Texas died peacefully at home on March 3, 2021 at the age of 90. He was born on March 29, 1930 to James Douglas Johnston and Helen Catherine (O’Grady) Johnston in Stockton, California. After graduating from Benicia High School in 1948, he entered UC Berkeley and earned a BA in history in 1952. On June 7, 1958, Doug was united in marriage to Dorothy Frels in El Campo, Texas, and they enjoyed 56 years of marriage before her passing in 2014. They were always at each other’s side.
From 1952 to 1963, Doug served his country proudly as an officer in the United States Army. He was stationed in Korea, Germany, France, and the United States, and he attained the rank of Major. Doug then had a rich and fulfilling career as a faculty member in the Social Sciences Department of San Antonio College from 1964 until his retirement in 1998. In 1973, he earned his Ph.D. in Education from UT Austin. As a history professor, he greatly influenced the lives of his students. Many of his former students would recognize him with his wife and family in public and stop and take the time to thank him. While they were living in San Antonio, the Johnston family attended St. Matthew Catholic Church, where Doug played the church’s magnificent pipe organ for every 12:30 Sunday Mass. After he and Dorothy moved to McKinney in 2001, they were devoted members of St. Gabriel Catholic Church.
Douglas is survived by his sons, Douglas Johnston, Jr. and wife, Jenny of Fort Worth, Texas; Steven Johnston of Houston, Texas; daughter, Susan Cameron and husband, Michael of McKinney, Texas; grandchildren, Jeffrey Cameron of Austin, Texas; Brian Johnston of Houston, Texas; Christian Johnston of Goodrich, Texas; Sarah Mason and husband, Ryan of Pflugerville, Texas; and Doyna Diane Johnston of Houston, Texas; great-grandchildren, Lucian Saldana and Julian Flores; and a host of other loving family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Frels Johnston; parents; and sister and brother-in-law, Diane and Harold Wassmann.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday March 10, 2021 at St. Gabriel The Archangel Catholic Church, 110 St. Gabriel Way, McKinney, Texas 75071. Douglas will be interred with Military Honors at 11:15 a.m., Monday, April 5, 2021 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
Livestream link for the service of Douglas Johnston https://www.stgabriel.org/funerals-online
A “come and go” visitation will be held on Tuesday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013. A rosary service will begin at 7:00 p.m. Only a limited number of guests will be allowed to enter the funeral home facility at any one time to maintain social distancing.
The family would like to thank his caregivers from Visiting Angels, especially Yvonne, Yemi, and Julie.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that monetary donations please be made to St. Gabriel The Archangel Catholic Church to help the parish provide financial assistance to its students attending Pope John Paul II High School.