from the July 17 issue of The Country Chronicle
Enfield, NH–Lois Butler Johnston, 74, a longtime Mascoma resident, died Monday evening July 8, 1996 at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon following a long illness. She was born in Hanover, NH August 24, 1921, the daughter of George M. & Florence (Potter) Butler Sr., and granddaughter of Lebanon’s A.J. & Florence Potter (past jeweler & optometrist from WWI through the 40’s). Lois lived in Wallingford and New Milford, CT, and Boston, MA before residing in Pittsburg, PA. She attended elementary school in Carrick, PA, graduated from high school in Brentwood, PA in 1939, and took courses in chemistry and Latin in 1940. She entered nurses’s training in 1940 at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Hanover, NH and graduated with her Registered Nurse Degree in 1943. She worked in the Operating Room as a scrub nurse and later as a supervisor in several private hospitals in Miami, FL from 1943-1950. She was a labor and delivery room nurse for one year at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Miami Beach, FL from 1950-1951.
She was married to Leonard D. Johnston on February 26, 1945 in Miami, FL and they returned to Mascoma in 1951 where she resided until her death.
After a 12 year respite from nursing she was employed by Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Hanover, NH for 23 years (1963-86), 5 years in pediatrics and 18 years in obstetrics. She was an assistant Girl Scout leader in Lebanon, NH and a Camp Nurse at Camp Plymouth in Ludlow, VT during the 50’s. She was a school nurse while her children were in school and was active in the PTA, Home-Room Mom, and volunteered at the Enfield School Library. She loved the outdoors and enjoyed gardening, nature walks, climbing, hiking and camping. She was an avid ornithologist, a member of the Audubon Society, and an official bird bander for the U.S. Bird Banding Laboratory from 1951-94.
She was a member of many organizations supporting nature, conservation, the environment, and Native American Indians. She held many leadership positions throughout her life. Lois was a longtime member of the Enfield United Methodist Church serving as it’s financial secretary, organist and choir director as long as she was able, and was an officer in the United Methodist Christian Women’s Organization. Music was an integral part of her life and she had recently donated her personal electronic organ to the Wayside Chapel of the West Canaan United Methodist Church. She also enjoyed making handcrafts and baking.
There were no calling hours. Burial was in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Enfield. A celebration of Lois’ life was held Saturday afternoon July 13th at 2 p.m. in the Mary Keene Chapel at LaSalette in Enfield, NH. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: The Enfield United Methodist Church, PO Box 453, Canaan, NH 03741 or The Norris Cotton Cancer Center, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756. Arrangements were under the direction of the Ricker Funeral Home of Lebanon.
Survivors include: her husband, Leonard D. Johnston of Enfield; a son, Merrick Daniel Johnston of Enfield; a son, Scott Lee Johnston of Canaan; a daughter, Jacqui Lynne Begor of Canaan; a brother, George M. Butler Jr. of Enfield; a sister, Frances Ann Ruel of Livonia, MI; seven grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.