Leland Stanford "Lee" Johnston died in the line of duty at a fire at the Dolkoff Iron & Metal Company warehouse at 9th Street and 1st Avenue, Rock Island on 29 Mar 1960. The owners of the building said baled and loose paper and cardboard were stored in the building. Captain Johnston was found on the ground just outside an overhead door on the south side of the warehouse. Due to the density of the smoke, no one saw him collapse and it was reported that he may have been lying there as long as 10 minutes before he was found. He was pronounced dead on arrivial at St. Anthony's hospital at 11:45 p.m.
Captain Johnston, a son of Thomas S. and Margaret Mc Afee Johnston, was born on a farm near Edgington, Aug. 30. 1912. He moved with his family to Rock Island in 1920 and attended Rock Island schools. He attended Rock Island High School.
He married Miss Mildred M. Wiese, of Davenport in Crown Point, Ind., April 24, 1932. They lived in Chicago for a year following their marriage and he attended the Edward L. Meyer Business School in Chicago for a time. They then returned to Rock Island and for eight years Johnston was employed by the Dierolf Dairy Co.
Johnston joined the Rock Island Fire Department July 2, 1943, and on Nov. 16, 1951, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He was elevated to a captaincy April 1, 1952. He served on numerous committees of the Fire Department and attended various training schools, including a fire department conference in Memphis, Tenn. He was assigned to the department's station planning committee, and drew up plans which were incorporated in the new No.4 station, 30th St. and 31st Ave. and as a firemen department representative, he had started plans for a New Central fire station.
On July 2, 1960, he would have completed 17 years with the department. Member of the Rock Island Fire Department from 2 Jul 1943 - 29 Mar 1960. He was a past president of the International Association of Firefighters, Local No. 530. He was of Presbyterian faith. Johnston was a member of Trio Lodge, No. 57, Masons, and member of Amoo Grotto, which organization he was serving as master of ceremonies. He was first aid instructor for the Red Cross and had conducted many classes in schools and other groups in the interest of safety and Civil Defense.
Surviving are the widow: a daughter, Mrs. Janice Lee Terrill, Rock Island; a son, Dennis Ruel Johnston, at home; two grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Earl B. (Rachel) Hofer, Comanche, Iowa, and Mrs. Edward L. (Irma) Meyer, Oak Lawn, Ill.; three brothers. Archie L. Johnston, Morning Sun, Iowa; S. Clark Johnston, Anaheim, Calif., and Myron T. Johnston, Aledo.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.
Funeral services for Capt. Johnston will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Hodgson Funera1 Home. Rock Island, with the Rev. Kenneth S. Dailey, pastor of Gloria Dei United Presbyterian Church, Rock Island, officiating.
Captain Johnston, a son of Thomas S. and Margaret Mc Afee Johnston, was born on a farm near Edgington, Aug. 30. 1912. He moved with his family to Rock Island in 1920 and attended Rock Island schools. He attended Rock Island High School.
He married Miss Mildred M. Wiese, of Davenport in Crown Point, Ind., April 24, 1932. They lived in Chicago for a year following their marriage and he attended the Edward L. Meyer Business School in Chicago for a time. They then returned to Rock Island and for eight years Johnston was employed by the Dierolf Dairy Co.
Johnston joined the Rock Island Fire Department July 2, 1943, and on Nov. 16, 1951, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He was elevated to a captaincy April 1, 1952. He served on numerous committees of the Fire Department and attended various training schools, including a fire department conference in Memphis, Tenn. He was assigned to the department's station planning committee, and drew up plans which were incorporated in the new No.4 station, 30th St. and 31st Ave. and as a firemen department representative, he had started plans for a New Central fire station.
On July 2, 1960, he would have completed 17 years with the department. Member of the Rock Island Fire Department from 2 Jul 1943 - 29 Mar 1960. He was a past president of the International Association of Firefighters, Local No. 530. He was of Presbyterian faith. Johnston was a member of Trio Lodge, No. 57, Masons, and member of Amoo Grotto, which organization he was serving as master of ceremonies. He was first aid instructor for the Red Cross and had conducted many classes in schools and other groups in the interest of safety and Civil Defense.
Surviving are the widow: a daughter, Mrs. Janice Lee Terrill, Rock Island; a son, Dennis Ruel Johnston, at home; two grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Earl B. (Rachel) Hofer, Comanche, Iowa, and Mrs. Edward L. (Irma) Meyer, Oak Lawn, Ill.; three brothers. Archie L. Johnston, Morning Sun, Iowa; S. Clark Johnston, Anaheim, Calif., and Myron T. Johnston, Aledo.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.
Funeral services for Capt. Johnston will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Hodgson Funera1 Home. Rock Island, with the Rev. Kenneth S. Dailey, pastor of Gloria Dei United Presbyterian Church, Rock Island, officiating.
Leland Stanford "Lee" Johnston died in the line of duty at a fire at the Dolkoff Iron & Metal Company warehouse at 9th Street and 1st Avenue, Rock Island on 29 Mar 1960. The owners of the building said baled and loose paper and cardboard were stored in the building. Captain Johnston was found on the ground just outside an overhead door on the south side of the warehouse. Due to the density of the smoke, no one saw him collapse and it was reported that he may have been lying there as long as 10 minutes before he was found. He was pronounced dead on arrivial at St. Anthony's hospital at 11:45 p.m.
Captain Johnston, a son of Thomas S. and Margaret Mc Afee Johnston, was born on a farm near Edgington, Aug. 30. 1912. He moved with his family to Rock Island in 1920 and attended Rock Island schools. He attended Rock Island High School.
He married Miss Mildred M. Wiese, of Davenport in Crown Point, Ind., April 24, 1932. They lived in Chicago for a year following their marriage and he attended the Edward L. Meyer Business School in Chicago for a time. They then returned to Rock Island and for eight years Johnston was employed by the Dierolf Dairy Co.
Johnston joined the Rock Island Fire Department July 2, 1943, and on Nov. 16, 1951, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He was elevated to a captaincy April 1, 1952. He served on numerous committees of the Fire Department and attended various training schools, including a fire department conference in Memphis, Tenn. He was assigned to the department's station planning committee, and drew up plans which were incorporated in the new No.4 station, 30th St. and 31st Ave. and as a firemen department representative, he had started plans for a New Central fire station.
On July 2, 1960, he would have completed 17 years with the department. Member of the Rock Island Fire Department from 2 Jul 1943 - 29 Mar 1960. He was a past president of the International Association of Firefighters, Local No. 530. He was of Presbyterian faith. Johnston was a member of Trio Lodge, No. 57, Masons, and member of Amoo Grotto, which organization he was serving as master of ceremonies. He was first aid instructor for the Red Cross and had conducted many classes in schools and other groups in the interest of safety and Civil Defense.
Surviving are the widow: a daughter, Mrs. Janice Lee Terrill, Rock Island; a son, Dennis Ruel Johnston, at home; two grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Earl B. (Rachel) Hofer, Comanche, Iowa, and Mrs. Edward L. (Irma) Meyer, Oak Lawn, Ill.; three brothers. Archie L. Johnston, Morning Sun, Iowa; S. Clark Johnston, Anaheim, Calif., and Myron T. Johnston, Aledo.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.
Funeral services for Capt. Johnston will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Hodgson Funera1 Home. Rock Island, with the Rev. Kenneth S. Dailey, pastor of Gloria Dei United Presbyterian Church, Rock Island, officiating.
Captain Johnston, a son of Thomas S. and Margaret Mc Afee Johnston, was born on a farm near Edgington, Aug. 30. 1912. He moved with his family to Rock Island in 1920 and attended Rock Island schools. He attended Rock Island High School.
He married Miss Mildred M. Wiese, of Davenport in Crown Point, Ind., April 24, 1932. They lived in Chicago for a year following their marriage and he attended the Edward L. Meyer Business School in Chicago for a time. They then returned to Rock Island and for eight years Johnston was employed by the Dierolf Dairy Co.
Johnston joined the Rock Island Fire Department July 2, 1943, and on Nov. 16, 1951, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He was elevated to a captaincy April 1, 1952. He served on numerous committees of the Fire Department and attended various training schools, including a fire department conference in Memphis, Tenn. He was assigned to the department's station planning committee, and drew up plans which were incorporated in the new No.4 station, 30th St. and 31st Ave. and as a firemen department representative, he had started plans for a New Central fire station.
On July 2, 1960, he would have completed 17 years with the department. Member of the Rock Island Fire Department from 2 Jul 1943 - 29 Mar 1960. He was a past president of the International Association of Firefighters, Local No. 530. He was of Presbyterian faith. Johnston was a member of Trio Lodge, No. 57, Masons, and member of Amoo Grotto, which organization he was serving as master of ceremonies. He was first aid instructor for the Red Cross and had conducted many classes in schools and other groups in the interest of safety and Civil Defense.
Surviving are the widow: a daughter, Mrs. Janice Lee Terrill, Rock Island; a son, Dennis Ruel Johnston, at home; two grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Earl B. (Rachel) Hofer, Comanche, Iowa, and Mrs. Edward L. (Irma) Meyer, Oak Lawn, Ill.; three brothers. Archie L. Johnston, Morning Sun, Iowa; S. Clark Johnston, Anaheim, Calif., and Myron T. Johnston, Aledo.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.
Funeral services for Capt. Johnston will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Hodgson Funera1 Home. Rock Island, with the Rev. Kenneth S. Dailey, pastor of Gloria Dei United Presbyterian Church, Rock Island, officiating.
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