Hugh McBirney “Barney” Johnston III, 77, formerly of Chestnut Hill, an officer at several area banks, died Aug 23 of pancreatic cancer at his home in Spring House, where he had been living since 2011.
Mr. Johnston retired in 1994 from PNC Bank, where he had been vice president in the investment management and trust division. Earlier he had worked at Goldman Sachs, Western Savings Bank and First Pennsylvania Bank.
Raised in Greenville, Del., and Gladwyne, he attended Haverford School and graduated from St. Mark's School in Southborough, Mass. He received a bachelor's degree in art history from Hamilton College, where he played football, baseball, tennis and ice hockey.
Physically active as a young man, he had run with the bulls in Pamplona and climbed Mt. Ranier and the Matterhorn with friends. Later in life, he had developed an interest in gliders, and, after obtaining his pilot's license, purchased and raced two sailplanes in regional and national contests.
Mr. Johnston served in the Army Reserve.
He is survived by his wife, the former Louise R. Detweiler; daughters Louise D. “Robin” Allen and Anne D. “Bibby” Loring,; a brother, C. Wanton Ballis; sisters Elizabeth B. Goodyear and Margaret B. Patton; a step-brother, Thomas C. Sheffield; step-sisters Eliza B. Chrystie and Anne B. Morse; four grandchildren, and two step-grandchildren. A sister, Deborah J. Lionberger, preceded him in death.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at St. Thomas Church, Whtemarsh, 610 Church Road in Fort Washington. A reception will follow.
Memorial donations may be made to the Mural Arts Program, 1729 Mt. Vernon St., Philadelphia, PA 19130, or to Friends of the Wissahickon, 8708 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118. – WF
