Edgar Clinton Johnston, Jr.'s Obituary
E. C. JOHNSTON, JR.
Memorial services for Edgar Clinton Johnston, Jr. of Longview will be held at 4 PM Monday, March 31, 2008 at the First United Methodist Church with Dr. Pat Sparks and his grandson, John Stewart Harvey, Jr. officiating, under direction of Rader Funeral Home. He died in Longview on Friday, March 28, 2008.
Edgar Clinton Johnston, Jr. was born in Houston, Texas on April 10, 1922; the first son of Margaret Mae Humbarger Johnston and Edgar Clinton Johnston, Sr.
He attended McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he was a member of their football team until he broke his leg and had to return to his home in Longview. He graduated from Longview High School in 1940 where he directed the Jazz Band, was voted Most Handsome Senior as well as King of Longview High School. After attending Texas A & M and Southern Methodist University, he joined the U. S. Coast Guard. He was honorably discharged in 1946 after serving 4 years, primarily in the North Atlantic Theater.
He married Helen Louise Martin on August 28, 1943 in Longview, Texas. They have two daughters: Margaret Gayle Parker, who with her husband, Mark, live in Denham Springs, LA, and Decie Ann Brookshire who lives in Longview. They have five grandchildren – John Stewart Harvey, Jr., and his wife, Katherine who live in Big Foot, Montana; Laura Gayle Harvey Patterson, and her husband, Burke who live in Baton Rouge, LA; Amy Louise Brookshire lives in Longview; Clinton Wood Brookshire and Bruce Garnett Brookshire live in Dallas, Texas. They also have two great grandchildren: Mary Margaret Patterson and William Payne Patterson. Their niece, Blanche Bivins Bruyere, has always been as close as a daughter to them. Blanche and her husband, Robert, live in Longview, and their sons, E.C.'s nephews, are Dr. Barry Clinton Bruyere, and his wife, Jamye; Craig Alan Bruyere, and his special friend, Krista Williamson; and Robert Cristopher Bruyere, and his wife, Sara. He also has a nephew, Judge William C. Martin, III who lives in Longview with his wife, Janet, and their daughter, Melissa Marie, and their son, Charles William. E. C. has three sister-in-laws, Mildred McHaney Johnston, Jane Johnston Akins and Judith Farmer Martin. Along with nephews and nieces, Kathy Johnston Jackson, Gordon Clayton Johnston, Jr., Mark Steven Johnston, Elaine Johnston Kauffman, Elizabeth Johnston Ylitalo, Kent McHaney Johnston, Janet Johnston Day, Edgar Scott Johnston and Laura Virginia Johnston.
E. C. and Helen celebrated 65 wonderful years of marriage in August of 2007.
In 1951, E.C. became a Board member of the Longview National Banklater Regions Bank, and remained on the Board as Senior Member for 50 years. In 1951, he formed the E. C. Johnston Company partnership with his mother, Madge Johnston, and his brothers, Gordon and Glenn. They were active in the oil, gas and mining business throughout Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma as operators and producers, and were principal owners of the Schwartzwalder Uranium Mine near Golden, Colorado, and the Redwell Basin Molybdeum properties near Crested Butte, Colorado.
He has been in the Quarter Horse Business and served as President of the American Quarter Horse Association, and owned the world champion "Jim Harlan". He raised, bred, and raced thoroughbred race horses at his Rafter J Ranch near Longview. Notably, he owned the dam, "Won't Tell You", of the last Triple Crown Winner, "Affirmed". In 2001, he was honored as "Thoroughbred Breeder and Owner of the Year". His love of horses was shared with his parents who raised and showed Tennessee Walkers.
He was a 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason and belonged to the Sharon Temple Shriners, and was also a member of the Royal Order of Court Jesters. He served as a Longview City Commissioner and is Past President of the following organizations: Pinecest Country Club, the Summit Club, Tom Harris Hunt Club, Longfellows, and Gregg County Development Corporation, Inc. as well as the Gregg County Health Facilities Development Corporation. He was the last President of the Longview Professional Baseball Team and was President of RWT, Inc. Mining Co. He worked extensively with the Shriner's Burn Institute in Galveston, Texas and arranged for the transportation of burn victims and their families to the Burn Center. He was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church and was also a longstanding member of the Cherokee Club.
Most importantly, he was loved and admired by his family. He was blessed with many friends, and for many years, enjoyed lunch every Thursday with "The Lunch Bunch" affectionately known as the "Beautiful Thursday Group", a group of gentlemen who were dear to his heart, being Howard Coghlan, Neal Hawthorn, Dr. George Hilliard, Bobby Smith, John C. Spradley, Jr., and John Turk, along with deceased members, Charley Rader, his brothers, Glenn and Gordon Johnston, and Charles Davis.
E. C. was always proud of his heritage as being a third generation member of the oil-famous Johnston family which started drilling in the fabulous Spindle Top Field more than 100 years ago. His grandfather, R. C. Johnston, was a water well driller. He converted to drilling oil wells when the Spindle Top Field was discovered, and he remained active. All six of his sons were active in the oil and gas business. One of his sons, E. C. Johnston, Sr., extended the Tinsley Mississippi Field to one of its most productive zones, and later constructed Mississippi's first refinery at Vicksburg. He developed the "Johnston Line", a fleet of barges for the delivery of refined products to the western and eastern markets. E.C. 's father, E. C. Johnston, Sr., drilled more than 2, 000 producing oil wells as both a drilling contractor and operator and invented and patented the "Johnston Testing Tool" around which the Johnston Testing Company was formed. E.C. Johnston, Jr. continued in the footsteps of his father and his grandfather and remained active in the oil and gas business until his death.
Honorary pallbearers include The Lunch Bunch, Howard Coghlan, Neal Hawthorn, Dr. George Hilliard, Bobby Smith, John C. Spradley, Jr. and John Turk; John Stewart Harvey, Bruce Tim Brookshire, Doyle Flatt, Richard Henderson, Dr. O. W. Elkins, Dr. Frank Jackson, Tom Landers, William Robert Harvey, II, William Edwin Warren, Prentis Lamar Simpson, Gearald Faris, and William Davis Northcutt, III.
Active pallbearers will include his grandsons, John Stewart Harvey, Jr., Clinton Wood Brookshire, Bruce Garnett Brookshire, son-in-law, Mark Lewis Parker, grandson-in-law, William Burke Patterson, Jr.; nephews, Judge William C. Martin, III, Dr. Barry Clinton Bruyere, Craig Alan Bruyere, Robert Cristopher Bruyere, Edgar Scott Johnston, Gordon Clayton Johnston, Jr., Mark Steven Johnston, Kent McHaney Johnston; also, Robert Alan Bruyere and Davis Preston Noble.
The family extends deepest thanks to the following: the staff and caregivers at Hawkins Creek Assisted Living and Memory Care Center – especially to Barbara Burton, Director of Clinical Services; special caregivers: Peggy Palmer, Betty Sentell, and Y. D. Hutchins; and to Heartsway Hospice for the loving care and support they extended to both Mr. Johnston and his family. A very special gratitude goes to Dr. Frank Jackson, a long time family friend as well as their primary physician. Dr. Jackson's heartfelt dedication to his practice and more importantly, to his patients, has been a true comfort to the entire Johnston family.
Memorial contributions in honor of E. C. Johnston, Jr. may be made to any church, charitable, or benevolent organization of your choice.
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