Carl Vincent Johnston

Carl Vincent Johnston, peacefully passed away the afternoon of April 27, 2017 in Santa Barbara, California, aged 89. He spent that morning reading a book from his extensive World War 11 library and joking with his nurses. He was born on August 11, 1927 in Los Angeles, California, the first child of Carl Winfred Johnston and Sarah Baucus Long. “Sonny Boy” was raised in Taft and Bakersfield, graduating from Kern County High School in June, 1945. After a short stint in the United States Navy, he was honorably discharged in time to start at Stanford University that fall. There he met his wife of 61 years, Mary Leigh Henderson, at a freshman mixer. He graduated cum laude with an AB in Economics in 1949, and spent the following year at Montana State University studying Agriculture. He and Mary Leigh married on June 23, 1951, at the Henderson Ranch on Telegraph Road in Santa Paula. The two immediately left California for a new life together on the AV Ranch in Belt, Montana where Carl managed his family’s cattle ranches and Mary Leigh managed the five children subsequently born to them. In 1962, Carl and his family returned to California. He studied Accounting at the University of Southern California and was employed as a CPA in Ventura County until 1978 when he opened his own practice in Santa Barbara. Carl retired in 1995, but volunteered for many years thereafter with VITA (IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) preparing tax returns for low income families. In 2000, Carl and Mary Leigh moved to The Samarkand, making many new friends and enjoying the good life. Mary Leigh passed away in 2013. Carl had a life-long fascination with military history and politics. He was an old school, socially moderate Republican who twice voted for a Democrat for President, in 1964 and 2016. We children remember sitting around the dinner table every night enthusiastically debating history and current events with him. He loved his family deeply even as he despaired of some of our antics. He loved to laugh and kept his grandchildren and The Samarkand staff entertained with his stories and songs. In addition to Mary Leigh, Carl was predeceased by his brother, Fred A. Johnston and his sister-in-law, Janet Rea Johnston. He is survived by his brother, Hugh B. Johnston of Eugene, Oregon; his sister, Elizabeth B. Johnston and her wife Robina Brown of Lake Oswego, Oregon; his brother-in-law, Edward S. Henderson and his wife, Carolyn Kincaid of Montecito, his sons, Charles E. of Ventura, Robert L. and his wife, Cris of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Thomas G. and his fiancée, Renita Thomas of Casa Grande, Arizona; Edward B. and his wife, Gina Schnabel of Inverness, California; his daughter, Cecilia E. Johnston and her husband, James E. Crilly, IV of Ventura; his grandchildren, Kellie Abers, Daniel, Marly, Ryan, Kaylyn, and Kathryn Johnston, Elizabeth MacCalla, Edward F. “Ted” Johnston, Madeleine, Colin, and Reid Crilly, and two great grandchildren with one on the way. His family would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Joseph Frawley, the residents and staff of The Samarkand, and especially his aide, Lupe Ramirez, for their loving care of Carl. Service will be private. Donations in Carl’s memory may be made to The History Museum, 422-2nd Street South, Great Falls, Montana 59404