R. Bruce Johnston

R. Bruce Johnston, 87, of North Strabane, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 23 at The Donnell House, Washington.

He was born April 25, 1930 in North Strabane Township, son of the late Harry and Estella Sprowls Johnston. He was the youngest of three boys, and a graduate of Trinity High school.

He married Velia Ann Altieri on July 12, 1958 and the couple spent 50 years together until Velia’s passing on August 10, 2008.

Mr. Johnston resided in Washington County all of his life, living in Murray Hill and Cecil before moving back to North Strabane Township. He worked as a truck driver at Chartiers Cinderblock and would go on to work as a Mechanical Assembler at Pennsylvania Transformer, later McGraw-Edison and Cooper Industries. He was a U.S. Army veteran, drafted in 1952 to Fort Meade, Maryland with his cousin, Phillip Morrow, where he served in the Korean War as a vehicle operator.

He was predeceased by his wife Velia, brothers Richard and David Johnston.

He enjoyed his tractors, gardening, good beef, bacon and shrimp, his dogs PJ and Jake, and spending time with grandchildren, friends, and family. He is survived by his two sons, Bruce and Brian Johnston, his daughter, Judith Rotondo, three grandchildren, Ciara, Christopher and Chloe Rotondo, all of Canonsburg, sister-in-law Edith Johnston (the late Richard) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Friends and family are welcome from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Friday at Coleman-Taylor Funeral Home, 3378 Millers Run Rd. (Rt. 50), Cecil, PA 15321, where funeral services will be held on Saturday at 10 a.m. with Rev. Donald C. Austin officiating.

Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Gardens, McMurray, where full military honors will be accorded by the Canonsburg VFW 191 Honor Guard.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Concordia Hospice of Washington (The Donnell House), 10 Leet St., Washington, PA 15301 where he received such good care.