Capt. James I. Johnston, USN (Ret.)
On September 26, 2012, James Irvin Johnston of Oak Harbor, WA, age 82 died at home with his wife at his side. Jim was born December 12th, 1929 in the Seattle, WA house built by his parents, Irvin and Mary Johnston.
After graduating from the University of Washington ROTC scholarship program he began his career as a U.S. Navy Meteorologist, serving at duty stations across the USA and Guam. Jim developed a state of the art weather reporting system he then presented to Congress. It is still in use by the Navy today.
He received his first master’s degree at the U.S. Navy War College and served on the Navy’s Presidential Commission to India.
Jim retired at the rank of Captain in 1978 after 28 years of service and returned to his hometown of Seattle. He was a life member of the Military Officers Association.
A second master’s degree in computer science led him to Seattle City Light as the Manager of the SCADA Division, running a highly advanced network of servers that monitored and controlled the flow of electricity from regional dams to the city.
Jim met Annelise Andrade in 1980 and they married in June of 1987. In 1991 they built and settled in their retirement home on Whidbey Island. Jim cultivated an orchard of chestnuts, walnuts, hazelnuts and fruit trees.
Intrigued with genealogies, Jim and Annelise traveled the US and the world. They toured Australia, Buenos Aries, Rio, the Antarctic and the Amazon; took a European adventure through Scandinavia, Russia, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Estonia; and journeyed to Cook Island, Easter Island, and much of the South Pacific.
Jim is survived by his wife Annelise; four children, James E. Johnston of Show Low, AZ, Leanne M. Johnston of Seattle, WA, Rodney A. Johnston of Edmonds, WA, and Joseph Andrade of Newport, RI; and 3 grandchildren, Rodney’s daughter Madalyn Rose Johnston, Colin Andrade and Natalia Andrade; 3 siblings, Adele Cisners of Boise, ID, Thomas Johnston and his wife Yaeko of Oak Harbor, WA, and Lawrence Johnston of Redding, CA. Jim is preceded in death by his granddaughter, Angela M Hall (1975-1988).
Funeral Services were held Friday, October 5th, 2012 at Wallin Funeral Home in Oak Harbor with Pastor Dave Templin of Whidbey Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at Arlington National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the USO or any Disabled Veteran’s Association. Friends and family are encouraged to offer condolences and share memories utilizing the Memory Book hosted by Wallin Funeral Home at www.wallinfuneralhome.com
