Jerry E. Johnston

Mr. Jerry E. Johnston, 82, passed away Saturday morning, June 24, 2023, at the Jim and Betsy Bryan Hospice Home in Pittsboro, North Carolina with family and loved ones by his side. He was born January 11, 1941, in Santa Ana, California to the late Lois Jean Fore and John James Johnston, Sr.

Graduating in 1960 from San Juan Capistrano Union High School, San Juan Capistrano, CA, Jerry was a star athlete and especially proud of being captain of his football team. Prior to high school, he was enrolled in St. Catherine’s Academy, a boys’ school with a military tradition. At an early age, Jerry developed a sense of pride in country that lasted his lifetime and upon meeting Ronald Reagan, he was, without a doubt, a Reagan Republican. Jerry’s loyalty to friends was unconditional and he was always quick to extend a hand and smile to new people in his life.

Jerry lived near the beach at Dana Point and rarely missed a day of surfing. He often told stories about his custom-made Hobie surfboard and friendship with Hobie Alter who, in 1954, opened the very first Southern California surf shop in Dana Point on the Pacific Coast Highway. During his lifetime, Jerry was most happy outdoors enjoying snow skiing, water skiing, coaching little league, riding horses, hiking, boating, scuba diving, fishing, and much more.

Staying true to his love of outdoors, Jerry was self-employed, owning a pool service and equipment repair business in Orange County, CA until 1992 when he sold his business, and moved to North Carolina with his wife Judy. Outdoor life continued with walking his dogs in the woods, shooting clay pigeons with friends, cultivating delicious home-grown tomatoes, taking care of ducks in his pond, going to NASCAR races, local soccer games, and tending to the wildlife in the woods surrounding his home.

Mr. Johnston was preceded in death by his son, Daniel Johnston, and his parents.

Survivors include his wife, Judy Ann Johnston, Pittsboro, NC, his son Ted Johnston, residing in Ohio, and his son and daughter-in-law, David and Lisa Brooks, residing in Arizona, his sister and brother-in-law, Pam and Ron Folgner, his niece, Jayme and nephew, Lance, and his brother, Frank Johnston, all in California. In addition, Jerry is survived by three grandchildren, Allie, Chelsea, and Stephan, and four great-grandchildren, Emily, Jace, Marley and Gunner.

A “Celebration of Life” service will be on Saturday September 16th, 2:00 p.m. at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church in Pittsboro, NC. In Jerry’s honor, a donation can be made to your favorite animal rescue group, a local Hospice care center, or The American Cancer Society.  

Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Johnston family.  Memorial tributes can be left on this site.