Robert Arthur Johnston

Robert Arthur Johnston, aged 99, died unexpectedly at his home in Cincinnati on December 11, 2025, of natural causes. Born on February 18, 1926, Robert (Bob) would have been 100 years old this February, and his amazing good health at the age of 99 was an inspiration to all who knew him.

Bob was born in Helena, Montana and raised in El Paso, Texas. He was the middle child of John Arthur Johnston and Vera Judy Johnston and is preceded in death by his older sister Betty Johnston Lindner and survived by his younger brother John David Johnston of Cincinnati.

Robert is also survived by three of his four children with his former wife of 38 years, Helen Johnston: Jack Johnston (Janice), Laurie Johnston, and Amy Johnston Waller (John). Sadly, his son Richard Allen Johnston passed away in 2016. Grandad/Grandpa Bob is survived by 5 grandchildren: John Arthur Johnston III (Lauren), Jay Johnston, Jayne Johnston, Linda Johnston Waller, and Scott Johnston Waller (Helena). He also leaves behind two great-grandsons John and Archie Johnston and his longtime companion of 26 years, Susie Phillips.

Bob graduated early from high school in El Paso, and enrolled at Texas A&M to study engineering. While there, he enlisted in the V12 Navy College Training Program and was deployed as an ensign to a ship in the Pacific in 1944 and 1945. He finished his college education at the University of Texas, graduating with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1947.

Bob was then hired by Goodyear Tire Company in Akron, Ohio, and selected for their corporate training program. After a few years, he left to get his law degree at the University of Michigan, marrying Helen Rood while he was there and graduating in 1953. Bob moved back to El Paso with Helen and then onto Dallas where he had a private law practice for several years with a friend from law school

In 1960, Bob moved his family to Cincinnati and began his long career with the American Financial Corporation in their savings and loan business. Bob was the CEO of Hunter Savings and Loan for 30 years, and also served as a director at American Financial for several years.

Bob was an astute businessman, and continued to manage a diversity of personal investments after he retired.

Bob’s 99 years were brim full of happy times with family and friends - an incomplete list includes the road trip with his brother, sister, and cousin’s families to Colorado; summertime at Bob’s property in the Ninemile Valley near Missoula; fly fishing trips and especially fly fishing in Patagonia with his friends; trips to Cincinnati Bearcat games with Jack and grandsons John and Jay; adventure nature traveling with Laurie to see polar bears, and with Laurie and Janice to see the mountain gorillas in Rwanda; cribbage with Linda and Scott at Ninemile and spending Christmas with Amy’s family in Montana; Bob’s milestone birthday trips with the grandkids to Europe; teaching Jayne to fly fish at Ninemile; playing spades with family, pinochle with friends, and poker with the guys; going to dinner and taking rides to his farms with Susie; and having a beer on the deck with John David, his best friend.

Bob was a generous individual who donated to many charities. He was a third degree Master Mason for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction and attained 32nd membership of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. His generosity touched many lives, and will continue to do so through the educational scholarships and charitable foundation he established.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Cincinnati Nature Center which was one of Bob’s favorite charities and places to visit in Cincinnati.

Memorial Service will be at 11:00 a.m. on January 10, 2026 at the Madeira-Silverwood Presbyterian Church, 8000 Miami Ave. There will be a visitation from 9:30-11:00 before the service, and a luncheon at the church right after the service. The interment will be at 3:00 at the Armstrong Cemetery at the intersection of Indian Hill Rd. and Drake Rd.