David Lee Johnston

David Lee Johnston, beloved husband, father and friend passed away Wednesday, January 25, 2018 at 73 years of age. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1944, he moved with his family to Arizona, as a child. He excelled in high school academically and was a member of Key Club and served as the national governor of the Southwest region of Key Club. He received a scholarship to University of Arizona and graduated in 1967. After college, David served 5 years as a Captain in the United States Air Force. He flew combat missions in Vietnam as commander of a C-123 and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal and Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry. He later served as an aircraft commander of a C-141, Instructor Pilot, and Flight Examiner with over 3000 hours of flight experience. He had a commercial pilot license with multi-engine and instrument ratings. He earned his MBA in 1973 in Real Estate and Finance from SMU, where he received the Glaze Award in Real Estate and the Dallas Finance Executives Award in Finance. He had a distinguished career in multi-family real estate development which included Vice President of Lomas & Nettleton Mortgage Investors, Dallas, Texas, Divisional Managing General Partner of Trammel Crow Residential Companies, Austin, Texas and Regional Partner of Property Company of America. His business expertise further led him to United Dominion Realty Trust, where he was Chief Investment Officer, President of Automotive Realty Trust of America and President of Archon Residential, a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldman Sachs, Inc. He was a board member of the Frontiers of Flight Museum, member and officer of Society of International Business Fellows, member of the Verde Vaqueros Riding Club of Arizona, member of the Naval League of Dallas, Order of the Daedalions, and Distinguished Flying Cross Society. David was an avid sportsman who loved nature and the outdoors. He was an enthusiastic hunter and fisherman who enjoyed traveling globally to pursue his interests. In 1997 he purchased land in Meridian, Texas which he transformed into a beautiful ranch where he took great pleasure in entertaining a multitude of family and friends. David was a man of great character, who had natural nobility with a quiet presence. He made everyone he knew feel valued and respected. It is important to note all David’s great accomplishments, but if you were to ask him, he would say he was most proud of his family; he was a devoted husband and father. He is survived by his wife of forty years, Di Johnston, his son Garrett, his daughter, Claire and her husband Matt Bush, and numerous extended family and friends. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Frontiers of Flight Museum, 6911 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas, Texas, or Equest, PO BOX 171779, Dallas, Texas 75217. His life will be celebrated at a Memorial Service at 2pm on Tuesday, January 30 at Park Cities Presbyterian Church located at 4124 Oak Lawn Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75219. The family will receive visitors at a reception at the church following the service.