From the Globe & Mail, February 14 edition
Charles William Johnstone
Ruth Whelan-Hulsman
Wednesday, February 14, 2001
Family man, grocer, philanthropist. Born Jan. 30, 1949, in Sackville, N.B. Died Jan. 14 in Moncton, of a brain tumour, aged 51.
The close ties between Sackville, N.B., and Mount Allison University (combined population 7,740) were again demonstrated when President Ian Newbould offered Convocation Hall, the largest facility in town, for Bill Johnstone’s funeral service. The hall was filled to its 1,500 capacity.
Bill was the second of George and Eileen Johnstone’s six sons. Not a scholar, his classmates remember that all he ever wanted to do was work in his father’s supermarket. He would hide in the basement until it was too late for school. His father gave him the worst jobs he could find, but Bill was undeterred.
When he was 10, the Trans-Canada Highway was being built just outside town. Bill would fill a cart with pop and ice and wheel it to the workmen. One of them would always drive him back. His wife of 32 years, Starr, thinks this was the start of Bill’s fascination with construction.
In 1976, he and Starr became co-owners of Johnstone’s Save-Easy Supermarket. Townspeople and Mount Allison students benefited from his legendary largesse. Yearly he made 2,000 charitable donations and helped at least 40 organizations plus many anonymous donations to students and townspeople. Each September, he hosted a welcome barbecue for students and helped them with their International Students’ Banquets. The student newspaper, The Argosy, called him a hero.
Starr received a letter from a student’s mother, who had phoned Bill to deliver a fruit basket to her sick daughter. She said she would put a cheque in the mail, Bill told her to wait and pay when next she visited Sackville. She could not get over this kindness to a complete stranger.
Bill was a devout Christian and was a staunch member of Main Street Baptist Church, where he looked after the sound system. This is a conundrum, because, although Bill loved music, he was tone deaf. Starr tells of how, after taking piano lessons for years, his teacher could not take it any longer and suggested he stop the lessons. His musical brother, Brian, played for the Gospel Quartet at Bill’s funeral.
Steve MacDonald remembered Bill greeting him by his usual “Hi, How are ya today?” on his first visit to the supermarket. Steve introduced himself as the new Youth Pastor. Bill said, “You’re rather short, aren’t you?” to which Steve replied, “You’re not so tall yourself!” Bill said, “When I was born, I had a choice — to be tall or handsome!” He may have been small of stature (5-feet, 4-inches) but Bill had a very big heart.
His sense of humour was evident in everything he did. He worked eight to 10 hours daily. His staff felt they worked with him, not for him. They called him “the Energizer Bunny.” He pivoted so much, every three months his Hartt shoes needed new soles. Starr said she will be forever thankful for the loyalty of the staff when Bill was hospitalized for his last two months, leaving her time to spend with him.
Among the mourners was New Brunswick Lieutenant-Governor Marilyn Trenholme-Counsell. Bill’s doctor, she had diagnosed him with Hodgkin’s Disease 21 years ago. After chemotherapy and radiation, he was in remission; but eight years ago an inoperable brain tumour developed.
Bill learned to live with the sporadic seizures. He was forewarned of his seizures by a tingling in his hands. To prevent scaring anyone with whom he was speaking, he had a card with the printing “Don’t worry, I’m having a seizure, I’ll be alright in a minute.” This worked fine, until one day a man walked off with his card! Thereafter, he kept a pocketful of cards.
He will be greatly missed by Starr and children Stacy, Troy and Alana as well as by many other relatives and a multitude of friends. Every time I walk into the supermarket, I still expect to see him.
Ruth was a customer of Bill’s.