Carl D. Johnston

Carl D. Johnston of Canton passed away in the early hours of Sunday, March 15th at Canton’s Graham Hospital. Johnston, 85, was the father of Carol Merna, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for the Prevention of Abuse in Peoria.

Carl was born in Wellston, Oklahoma on November 19, 1934, the son of Arthur E. and Wanda Johnston. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Carol Robbins Johnston; by a son and two daughters, Kelly D. (Adrienne Cordova) Johnston of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania; Jan Larry) Allison of Washington, Oklahoma, and Carol (Tim) Merna, also of Canton. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

Carl won attention at the outset of World War II, at age 7, when he was featured in his local,Edmond, Oklahoma newspaper for collecting several hundred pounds of scrap metal for the war effort. He left high school to volunteer for the US Air Force during the Korean War, serving in the
1453 Medical Airlift Evacuation Squadron, and was honorably discharged in 1954. He and Carol Robbins were married in 1955 in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

He would eventually launch successful careers as a credit investigator and in sales and sales management at companies including Allstate Insurance and W. W. Grainger’s. Carl was also active in community organizations, including Jaycees (Junior Chamber of Commerce), American Legion, Lions, Kiwanis, and was a 33rd degree Mason. He also served as a senior member in the Civil Air Patrol (Oklahoma Wing), and was a licensed pilot. He and Carol also volunteered as class parents for their children’s schools. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Science of Arts of Oklahoma, in 1983. He was a long time member of the Church of Christ.  He and Carol retired to Canton from Oklahoma in 2002.

In lieu of flowers, any memorials may be sent to the Center for the Prevention of Abuse at 720 West Joan Court, Peoria, Illinois 61614.

Oaks-Hines Funeral Home and Crematory in Canton has been entrusted with cremation services.

To leave online condolences, please visit www.oakshinesfuneralhome.com