Dr. Francis J. Johnston

Dr. Francis J. Johnston, 97, of Athens, passed peacefully on Saturday, February 26, 2022. He was an adored husband, father, grandfather, and a friend to all who knew him. During over 40 years of teaching chemistry, he shared his wisdom and charm with thousands of students.

Francis was born on September 20, 1924 to Effie Johnston and Stanley Wild in the small town of Ferryville, Wisconsin. He always cherished his memories of growing up with his family and friends by the train tracks on the banks of the Mississippi River.

In 1944, at age 19, Francis joined the Army’s First Division and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.  He was among the first Allied servicemembers to cross the Rhine on a pontoon bridge in Remagen, Germany in March 1945. He was wounded twice in the war and honorably discharged with two Purple Hearts in 1946.

He attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison, graduating with a B.S. in 1947 and Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1951.  He and Joyce Domke met there in the library one day, and they were married for 70 years. After graduation, Francis worked at Argonne National Laboratory, at the Savannah River Laboratory, and on the chemistry faculty at the University of Louisville. They moved to Athens in 1960 to work at the University of Georgia.

At UGA, Francis conducted research in radiochemistry and taught physical chemistry until retiring as Professor Emeritus in 1992. He received the Philbrook Award for outstanding undergraduate teaching. For all his life he taught and shared life advice with everybody who asked (many did). Francis and Joyce both loved Athens and the UGA community.

Francis always enjoyed the outdoors, mowing the lawn, and exercising—especially swimming. He was an artist who loved painting portraits of his family, friends, and boxers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Most of all, he loved his family.

Francis was predeceased by his wife Joyce and his brother Stuart. He is survived by his son Michael, Michael’s wife Cheryl, grandsons Dan and Ben, Ben’s wife Adri, and nieces and nephews.

Family members celebrated his life during a private ceremony at Oconee Hill Cemetery, near his favorite campus.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.