Salesman, bowler.
Born at Winnipeg on 13 May 1919 at his home on Ingersoll Avenue in Winnipeg's West End, his parents were Gudrun “Gertie” Jakobsdottir Arason (1884-1976) and John Goodwin “Jack” Johnstone (1890-1975). When he was growing up in the 1920s, the family had no radio or electricity, but owned an Orthophonic phonograph and collected recordings of classical music as well as popular songs of the era. When they played the recordings in the evenings, it was not unusual for neighbours to line up along the front fence and listen. He and his older brother Astor set pins and also learned to bowl at the ten-pin bowling alley his father operated at Winnipeg Beach in the summers.
From 1941 to 1945, he served with the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Second World War. Upon his return, he married Marjorie Evelyn Campbell (1923-1966) on 22 September 1945, with whom he went on to have three sons. He settled into a career in sales, working for a number of companies over the years, including Walter Woods Limited, Inland Pacific (Sports), John Martens Wholesale Sporting Goods, and later on Beaton Industries and Duraseal Windows.
Having become a proficient bowler, he was the ten-pin champion of Winnipeg in 1961, and in the 1990s was inducted into the Manitoba Hall of Fame for Bowling. He was also an avid golfer, spending many hours on the course with his family, teaching them the game. He eventually became a Course Marshal at Larter’s Golf and Country Club at St. Andrews.
After the death of his wife, he married Audrey Irene Haverstock (1925-2013) in 1968, and became a stepfather to her two sons. He was a devoted family man, and entertained the youngsters with his mischievous nature and humorous antics. Known for his stealth at the card table as well, he was keen with numbers and knew every card game there was to play, spending many hours with family and friends around a card table, keeping score and usually winning.
He died at Winnipeg on 26 August 2012 and was buried in the Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 8 September 2012.
Audrey Johnstone, Neil Bardal Funeral Centre.
“Russell Vernon Johnstone,” Karen Anne French Family Tree, Ancestry.
Russell Vernon Johnstone, FindAGrave.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 12 May 2026
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