Michael Lee Johnston

Michael Lee Johnston, “Mike”, 58, of Houston, Texas, formerly of Tulsa, passed away Thursday, June 23, 2011. Mike was born December 16, 1952 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to John Phillip and Mary Lou Johnston. He married Ruth Ann Rubinson on March 7, 1984 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mike joined the Army serving his country as an air traffic controller and a helicopter door gunner during the Vietnam War. He was decorated for Heroism in Vietnam but never once spoke of his courageous acts during the war that saved the lives of numerous people. Mike graduated from Will Rogers High School and obtained his bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University. He was a software consultant who had worked for the Hess Corporation since 1987. He enjoyed scuba diving and became a certified master diver. He also enjoyed boating, fishing, gardening, and action movies. His family and friends knew him as a loving, considerate, humble man who always put the needs and feelings of others before his own. He took more joy in helping others achieve their goals and dreams than he could have gotten pursuing his own interests. He was his wife’s greatest supporter and cheerleader. Mike adored his sons and sought to instill within them the importance of being kind and working hard. Mike felt an enormous sense of satisfaction from helping his co-workers at Hess as well as knowing his efforts and hard work contributed to the company’s success. Mike Johnston made the world a better place by being in it. He was a treasured member of his entire family who all feel unbearable anguish over his loss. Mike was preceded in death by his Father, John Phillip and his Grandparents, Arthur Leon and Bertha “Gertie” Roberts. He is survived by his spouse, Ruth Ann Johnston of Missouri City, TX; sons, Michael Phillip Johnston of Owasso, OK and Lane Joseph Johnston of Missouri City, TX; brothers, John David Johnston “David” of Muskogee, OK and Joel Jay Johnston of Wichita, KS; sister, Mary Ann Hartman of Owasso, OK; mother, Mary Lou Woods of Owasso, OK; and granddaughter Brianna Leigh Johnston of Virginia Beach, VA. Graveside service with full military honors will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, June 30, 2011, at Fort Gibson National Cemetery with Chaplain Phil Pack officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Michael P. Johnston, Lane J. Johnston, David Johnston, Joel Johnston, Neil Hartman and Paul Salzman. Family requests memorials be made to Vietnam Veterans of America Organization at http://www.vva.org/support.html. The VVA offers support to veterans of all American wars - not just Vietnam. Funeral services are under the direction of Cornerstone Funeral Home and Crematory, 1830 North York Street, Muskogee, Oklahoma. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cornerstoneofmuskogee.com

Michael Lee Johnston

December 16, 1952 - June 23, 2011