Stephen Kelly Johnston

Stephen Kelly Johnston passed away Thursday September 15, 2016 at Alive Hospice in Nashville, TN. Steve was born on October 2, 1941 to Holmes and Becky Johnston in Nashville, TN. He was known for his kind and generous heart, his “loud” golf attire and for his “punny” jokes. He loved his family with all of his heart, including his wife of 53 years Dianne McCord Johnston, his daughters Jennifer Johnston Martin and Candy Johnston Dodson, sons-in-law David Martin and Marty Dodson, and grandchildren Ashton Martin, Avery Martin, Addison Martin, Aiden Martin, Aaron Martin, Harrison Kidd, Matthew Dodson, Abby Dodson and Emily Dodson. Steve graduated from Hillsboro High School and Vanderbilt University in Nashville and was a respected business leader. He entered the life insurance business after graduating from Vanderbilt University and was a co-managing principal of Boone, Brandon, Johnston & Evans, Inc., an independent life insurance advisory firm that he co-founded in 1972. In 1978 he co-founded Group Benefit Systems, Inc., an independent employee benefits firm offering consulting and brokerage services to small and mid-market privately held businesses. Steve served on the Advisory Board of Partners Financial, as well as several task forces and standing committees. He was a member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU) serving on the Business and Insurance and Estate Planning Committee; and a life and qualifying member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). He served as president of the local chapters of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA); the Society of Financial Services Professionals; and the Estate Planning Council of Nashville. He was awarded the Man of the Year by the Tennessee NAIFA and is a past recipient of the Todd Baker Exceptional Achievement Award for contributions to the industry. Steve was a member of Temple Hills and Hillwood Country Clubs and of the City Sales Club. Most importantly he was an amazing husband, father, and “Poppy” to his nine wonderful grandchildren. He will be missed. The family will greet friends from eleven-thirty in the morning until two-thirty on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home with Funeral Service to follow at two-thirty. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made in Steve’s honor to Alive Hospice in Nashville in appreciation for their gentle, graceful care as he passed from this life.