Ronald Eugene Johnston, 79, of Winchester, Virginia, died Tuesday, January 14, 2014, at Evergreen Health and Rehab in Winchester. Mr. Johnston was born April 7, 1934, in Winchester, son of the late Wilbur R. Johnston and Virgie Carpenter Johnston. He is survived by his wife, Dee Shely Johnston, four sons, Steven and wife, Elena, of Sterling, VA, Michael and wife, Carol, of Gore, VA, Kevin of Winter Springs, FL, and Russell and wife, Melissa, of Frederick County, VA, nine grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren, a brother, Wilbur Sell Johnston and wife Nancy, of Winchester, and a sister, Helen Johnston Steele and husband Dannie, of Middletown, VA. One brother, Dr. Charles Johnston, preceded him in death. He graduated from Handley High School in 1954. One year after beginning organ studies at age 15, he became summer organist and choir director of Central Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C. He held this position for three summers.

He received a scholarship to George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, TN. He majored in trumpet and minored in organ, piano, and viola. He received the Bachelor of Science degree in Instrumental Music Education and Choral Music in 1958, and began his teaching career at Greenbrier Military School in Lewisburg, WV.

In 1962, he joined the faculty of Randolph-Macon Academy in Front Royal, VA, where he taught music, public speaking, geography, and New Testament. In 1971, Mr. Johnston received the Master of Church Music Degree from Southern Seminary, Louisville, KY, with a major in organ and minors in voice and education. At seminary he studied organ with Dr. Don Hustad, former organist for the Billy Graham Crusades. He served as guest conductor of the Front Royal Oratorio Choir from 1964 to 1968, and again from 1985 to 1995. He is the 1993 recipient of the Artie Award given by the Shenandoah Area Arts Council for outstanding achievement in music. He served as fulltime minister of music and education in several large churches in Tennessee, Florida, and Virginia. He was organist and/or choir director for several local churches, the most years at Grace Episcopal Church, Berryville, and Berryville Presbyterian Church. Mr. Johnston was a member of Phi Mu Alpha Fraternity, The American Guild of Organists, and the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society.