Obituary of William R. Johnston
William Robert Johnston, a devoted family man and public servant, passed away peacefully on January 1. Born on July 4, 1932, and raised in Harrison, he was the beloved son of John F. Johnston (1905–2000) and Clara A. Huber (1905–1966) and brother to John F. Johnston, Jr. of Rye (1928-2014) and Reverend Donald J. Johnston (age 95).
On November 25, 1954, Bill married Estelle Louise Amy of Larchmont, and together they celebrated an extraordinary 70 years of marriage. Their union was a beacon of love and commitment to all who knew them. He is survived by Estelle; their five children: William R. Johnston Jr. (Meg), Amy J. Bridges, Catherine J. Goetz (Lionel), Donald J. Johnston II (Maryellen), and Gregory L. Johnston (Erin); 16 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren with two on the way; his brother Father Donald J. Johnston and brother-in-law Thomas Amy (Carol); and numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
Bill was an alumnus of Harrison High School (1949), Iona University (1953), and Fordham Law School (1956) and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1956. With over 60 years of legal practice, he was widely known for his dedication to justice and community values and earned the distinction of “AV Preeminent” – one of the highest honors for legal professionals.
He joined the legal division of New York Central Railroad in 1957 and continued through its transitions to Penn Central and Conrail. He also worked in Harrison at Johnston, Castiglia and Lanza, before practicing at the New York office of Rogers, Hoge and Hills. He then founded Johnston and McShane in New York.
At just 28 years old, Bill was elected as the Town Justice in Harrison and served for nearly four decades (1961–2000), earning bipartisan respect and the frequent “Hey, Judge!” from passersby walking down the street. A veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves with an honorable discharge in 1960, Bill was proud to serve both his community and his country.
An avid outdoorsman and lover of sports, he found joy in skiing, sailing, tennis, hiking, and running, frequently winning his age category in the Mamaroneck Turkey Trot well into his 70s, and even learning how to box in his 80s. He was a member of the US middleweight championship crew in the 1950s, always a point of pride for him. He loved traveling and spending every summer with his beloved Estelle in Marbella, Spain. His greatest joy came from spending time with loved ones at his and Estelle’s home—a place where their large, loving family has gathered for decades.
To honor William’s life, family and friends gathered on Tuesday, January 14 at Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home in Mamaroneck. A Funeral Service was held on Wednesday, January 15 at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Larchmont.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests contributions to the Michael J. Fox Foundation in memory of William R. Johnston. For the last few years, he has been a participant in the MJFF Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative study. This landmark study recently made a significant breakthrough in early detection testing, and we hope someday their research leads to a cure for Parkinson’s Disease.
Visit https://tribute.michaeljfox.org/tribute-page.php?id=3064&np=true to contribute in memory of William Robert Johnston.