Charles was born in San Francisco to Joseph J. and Nellie Murphy Johnston, the third of six children. The family moved to Taft to find work in the oil fields. Charles had fond memories of spending many summers camping in Yosemite. He attended Taft schools and upon graduation from Taft Jr. College joined the Gas Company, but worked there for only two years before war broke out. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941, rising to the rank of lieutenant and serving as a Flight Engineer and backup Pilot for a B-29 Superfortress. This was followed by a few years as a test pilot until 1946, when he left the service and joined Southern California Edison, working there as a service crew foreman in Pomona until his retirement in 1981.
'Charlie' married Marie Coudures of Perris in 1948, moved to Ventura, and finally to Pomona in 1956, where they built their lives and their family with their children Katie (born 1952) and Chuck (born 1956). On Sunday, March 27,2011, Charles F. Johnston passed away in Clairmont, CA.
He is survived by his wife Marie, his son Chuck and his wife Rose Thommen of Chino Hills, his granddaughter Mikela Oberg and her husband Bryan of Bakersfield, his brother Joe Johnston and his sister Margaret Wangberg of Newport Beach, as well as his sisters in law Louise Martin of Perris, Darlene Johnston of Goleta, Velda Johnston of Maricopa, son in law Alejandro Bernal of Bakersfield and many nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his brothers Ben and John Johnston, his sister Emma Johnston, sisters in law Genevieve Sweeney Johnston and Denise Coudures McBride, and brothers in law Ed Wangberg, Clifford Martin, Garnet McBride and John Coudures.
His daughter Katie Bernal died of cancer at the age of 45, and Charles and Marie supported her throughout her ordeal, helping to raise her daughter Mikela after Katie's passing.
Charles was very mechanical yet creative, and his time in retirement was spent tinkering in the garage and house and travelling the world with Marie and family members.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Miller-Jones Mortuary. Funeral Service will be held Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 12:30pm at St. James Catholic Church in Perris. Interment will immediately following at Perris Valley Cemetery.
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