R.H. “H” Johnston, 78, of Dow, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009, at McAlester Regional Health Center.
The family will receive friends at Brumley-Mills Funeral Home today from 1 to 3 p.m.
Funeral services will be Monday at 10 a.m. at Haileyville Christian Church with Pastor Gerald Joslin officiating. Burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery, Hartshorne, under the direction of Brumley-Mills Funeral Home of Hartshorne.
Pallbearers include E. J. Schultz, Rick Gragg, Burke Williams, Jamie Jackson, Ben Ashby and Bobby Seaton.
Honorary pallbearers include Don Lee, Gary Fugitt, Don Robertson, Bill McCullar and Frank Onesky.
Born Sept. 20, 1931, in Centrahoma, to Robert “Jake” and Virgie (Thompson) Johnston, the oldest of four children, he grew up on the family farm in Lula, and graduated from Lula high school in 1951. He went to work in the oil fields of Oklahoma when he was 20 years old and after 55 years he retired at the age of 75. He started in Paul’s Valley with the Shebester Oilwell Services, then moved to Farmington, N.M., then worked for Lohmann Well Services in Blanding, Utah. He then moved to Hobbs, N.M., and later in 1969, he moved to Wilburton.
He had also worked for the Pool Company, A&A; Tank Truck Company and Resource Services, Inc. He and his brother, Arthur, started Johnston’s Oilfield Construction Co., and later he and his partners started the Big Mac Tank Truck Co. He was an avid golfer and fisherman and had won several tournaments in both endeavors and had been able to play and fish in both the U.S. and Canada.
He was a member of the McAlester Country Club and was helpful in the construction of the new nine holes of the golf course. He was also a member of the Haileyville Christian Church. He married Erma Beagles on Feb. 12, 1993, in Fort Smith, Ark.
Survivors include his wife, Erma Johnston, of the home; two sons and daughters-in-law, Roger and Cindy Johnston, of Krebs, H. Keith and Kim Johnston, of Castle Rock, Colo.; one daughter and son-in-law, Carla and David Howell, of Smithville, Tenn.; two stepsons, Ron Beagles, of Tulsa, Randy Beagles, of Texas; two stepdaughters, Brenda Miller, of Houston, Texas, Diane Ferrell and her husband, Timothy, of Haileyville.
Also, one sister, Mary Sue Robertson, of Allen; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Arthur and Joann Johnston, of Wilburton, John and Margaret Johnston, of Clarita; six grandchildren, Shaun Van Roekel and her husband, Kirk, Scott Howell, Brandon Johnston and his wife, Lauren, Rachel Andrews and her husband, Matt, Ryan Hackler and his wife, Deanna, Allie Johnston.
And, five great-grandchildren; mother-in-law, Alta Cothern; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Harvey and Wanda Lunceford, Cliff Cothern, Jim and Theresa Cothern, Clyde and Candy Cothern, Bill and Cheryl Cothern, Ernie and Diane Cothern, Joe Cothern, and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Virgie Johnston.
