WØJBX - May 26, 2016

---

Donald C. 'Don' Johnston Richfield, MN QCWA # 13566 Chapter 8

Donald Charles Johnston, Sr
Our hero, best friend and father, Donald Charles Johnston, Sr. was born on July 14, 1919 in Missoula, Montana.

When the Great Depression hit our nation in 1929 Don's family was forced to leave Montana and move to Minneapolis to survive. The family settled in North East Minneapolis where Don attended Edison High School, graduating in 1936.

Don married Sonia Hyland on March 29, 1941. World War II broke out on December 7, 1941 changing our world and the lives of Don & Sonia. Don enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 1942, and after receiving his training, served in the Army Signal Corps on the island of Guam in the Pacific Theater of WWII.

Donald returned to civilian life in 1946 and worked as an Aerospace Engineer for the next 40 years with Engineering Research Associates, Control Data, and Honeywell working mainly on U.S. Government Military Defense projects.

Don and Sonia moved into a new home at 7345 Park Avenue in Richfield in 1952 and remained in that wonderful neighborhood for the next 60 years. The joy of Don & Sonia's life was their four children and four grandchildren.

In addition to his family, Don found great joy in his friends and neighbors, watching the Twins and the Vikings, and bowling. Don was an excellent bowler with a life long 180 average. Don was also a Ham Radio Operator (WØJBX) for over 75 years!!

Don was also a man of faith. He and Sonia became members of Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church in 1948.

In 2010 Don and Sonia sold their home at 7345 Park Avenue and moved into Independent Senior Living at Avinity Mainstreet Village in Richfield where they were loved and cared for by the Mainstreet staff.

Don transitioned into eternity and into the presence of God on Thursday, May 26, 2016, surrounded by his loving family.

Don Johnston will be dearly missed but always loved and fondly remembered by his family and friends! Don is survived by his three children: Donald, Jr. (Kathleen), David (Jeanie), and Carole (Dale) Heebl; four grandchildren: Kyle (Alexis), Davey (Rachel), Laurel and Kristen Boo (Thomas); brother-in-law, Ron Hyland; and nephews and nieces.

The reviewal for Don is 5-8 PM, Sunday, June 5 with a prayer service at 7 PM at Henry W. Anderson Mortuary, 3640 23rd Avenue South in Minneapolis. The funeral service celebrating Don's life will be at 11 AM, Monday June 6, with visitation one hour before at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church; 5025 Knox Avenue S., Minneapolis. A luncheon will follow the service in the church Fellowship Hall. Donald will be laid to rest with his wife, Sonia at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery with full Military honors. Please join the family for these services of remembrance celebrating the life of Donald Charles Johnston.

I was first licensed in 1940 as a class B station and my Elmer was Mel Bock, W9QKX (SK). My first rig was a Home Brew 35 watt class B modulated AM phone rig, with single 807 final.

I belong to QCWA, National and Upper Midwest Ch 8; ARRL; 3900 Club and 1010 Club.

I enjoy operating all bands, 75M thru 10M, on SSB phone (my CW has long since deteriorated to zero, sad to say), but mostly operation on 75M SSB phone nets, including part time net control on QCWA Upper Midwest Ch 8 Saturday AM 75M SSB phone net, and Saturday AM QCWA Ch 8 2Meter FM Net; one hour per week net control on 75M SSB Pico Net; 75M Minnesota Section Phone Net. I mainly do a lot of listening on all the bands, and very little transmitting.

My current station consists of a Kenwood TS-570D, Heathkit SB-200 Amp, MFJ-998 Intellituner Automatic ant. tuner, 120 ft 75M dipole between two trees at 50 ft, fed with tuned feed line. I also have a Yaesu FT-2200 2M rig with a home brew J-Pole antenna made from 450 ohm feed line

I worked for: Engineering Research Associates (Design Engr- 5 yrs), a pioneer large scale digital computer co, which spawned Univac, Control Data, and many other local engineering companies; Honeywell (Senior Design Engr-29.5rs)- design of Military and Aerospace Electronics; and Control Corp. subsidiary of Control Data (Manager of Engrg 3.5 years); I hold 6 Patents in digital computing and Military Aerospace Avionic applications. I've been retired since 1983.

I have enjoyed every minute of my Ham Radio career, which gave me a very good position in the US Army Signal Corps which included overseas service in the Western Pacific area during WW2, plus a very rewarding career as an Electrical Engineer after WW2. At my present age of 89 (as of Nov 2008), I am still very active in Ham Radio and enjoying my life in retirement, with Fair health.