At the end of 52 straight days on the frontlines during the Battle of the Bulge, after enduring severe frostbite and comforting a comrade who died in his arms, World War II veteran J.A. “Bud” Johnston wrote a note in a small Bible he carried with him.
“I write this Friday, February 16, 1945, thanking you God and my Lord for bringing me back safely from the front and the many horrors of this terrible war,” Johnston wrote.
In the years that followed, he would speak frequently about his respect for the American flag and the cherished freedoms it stands for.
“The flag meant so much to my dad,” said his son Brent. “It represented a pivotal point in his life, when it became so clear to him what is truly important.”
Mr. Johnston, 81, previously of Elmhurst, a former teacher and coach at York Community High School in Elmhurst, died Tuesday, May 30, in his Batavia home of cancer.
Mr. Johnston was born and raised on his family’s dairy and grain farm in Newark in Kendall County, where he played on the basketball and baseball teams at Newark High School. Last year he was honored as a charter inductee into the school’s Hall of Fame.
“By the age of 5, my dad was out in the fields helping his father,” said his son.
“As he got older he’d rise by 4 a.m. to complete three or four chores before heading off to school.”
In 1943, Mr. Johnston enlisted in the Army, serving in Belgium and France as a paratrooper in the 17th Airborne Division, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Company I. He was discharged in 1945 and received a Bronze Star Medal for his participation in the Battle of the Bulge, his family said.
Using the GI Bill, Mr. Johnston attended Normal Teachers College in Illinois and graduated with a teaching degree in physical education and industrial arts. He later completed a master’s degree in education from DePaul University.
Mr. Johnston began his 36-year teaching career at Elmhurst Junior High School in 1949. In 1951, he joined the faculty at Sandburg Junior High School in Elmhurst, where for 18 years he was a physical education instructor and basketball coach.
“Coach Johnston was a great role model, who really cared about his players,” said Bill Brown, a 1954 Sandburg graduate.
“I played on his basketball team and learned much more from him than just about sports.”
In 1967, Mr. Johnston became a physical education and driver’s education teacher at York, where he also coached boys and girls track. He remained there until his retirement in 1984.
“Bud was an outstanding guy, a mentor back then to many younger teachers like myself,” said Terry Clarke, the director of the physical education and driver’s education programs at York.
He was known for his positive outlook on just about everything.
For many years, Mr. Johnston also was a director for many youth programs with the Elmhurst Park District, some of which he helped create, his family said.
During his retirement, Mr. Johnston delighted in attending his grandchildren’s activities and sporting events.
“Nothing was more important than being with those he loved,” said his son.
Other survivors include his wife of 57 years, Shirley; two daughters, Louise Von Hoff and Janice; and 10 grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday in Moss Family Funeral Home, 209 South Batavia Ave., Batavia. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the Congregational Church of Batavia, 21 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia.
