Richard “Dick” Johnston gained his new job as a guardian angel on November 4, 2020 after ensuring that his vote counted.  Dick was born in Covington, VA to Margurite French and James Johnston, on October 16, 1940.  He was the older brother to two brothers, Gary and Billy, and one sister, Kathy.  In 1957 he enlisted in the US Army and became a paratrooper with the 1st Airborne division of the 504th Infantry.

 Dick's passion for the outdoors, hunting and fishing was shared with countless people all over the country throughout his lifetime.  His best memories were made wet and covered in fish slime, or freezing in a tree stand.  The most successful fishing trip he ever took was on a three-day blind date where he landed the catch of his life.  Six months later in June 1993, Dick and Sherry were married. They spent the next 28 years chasing adventures in amazing places all over the world, but mostly Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Alaska.

Family always came first.  His sons, Jeff and Greg Johnston started adventuring with him at an early age trekking in the mud following in father's foot steps.  Following him all the way to Arizona.  He got two daughters, Adriana and Alexia, when he married Sherry, two more to teach to fish and trek, build fires and catch crawdads.

His favorite name, Poppa, was given to him by his 5 grandboys.  Whether he was feeding them donuts at all hours of the day, baiting hooks for them on the spit in Homer, or having them sit on his lap watching Fox News, he loved his role as Poppa.

The love he had for his friends and family was only surpassed by his love for his dogs.  Teddy, Fugitive, Hunter, Kahlua, Tia, Yoyo and Cody could not have had a better master. 

Always the engineer and handyman, there was never something he couldn't make better or build bigger.  Inventing a better treestand, patenting archery manufacturing methods, building a log home in the mountains, or creating a new fish killing lure.  Though retired for almost 20 years he never rested, building or remodeling 7 houses.

His friends will remember him best for stories around the campfire, drinking a little rum and coke, playing cards, and fishing, wherever the fish were biting.