Hendon "Russ" Russell Johnston Jr.

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace”(Luke 2 vs. 29) A wonderful, kind, generous and loving man has died, Hendon Russell Johnston, Jr. “Russ” died July 19, 2024, age 85, after a tragic fall. Sentiments shared about him: “He was a great man”;, “He was Old Grumpy”; “Such a generous man”; Such a smart man”; “I did not like playing bridge against him because he was too smart”. His laugh was legendary ,happy and uninhibited, bringing joy to everyone who heard it. He graduated magna cum laude from Castle Heights Military Academy, after attending six different grammar schools due to his parents many relocations with T.V.A. He was accepted to Rice University on a full scholarship, but instead opted to attend the Univ of Tenn. There he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and dated and later married Florence Fair in 1960. He lived a varied and full life. After graduating from UT, he served in the U.S. Navy for over three years as a supply officer. Subsequently he received his Master of Science degree from M.I.T., and a Doctor of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He was a founding faculty member of Wake Forest Business School and later was on the faculty of Boston University Business School. He also served as a consultant for various business entities. Russ and Florence moved “home” to Knoxville in Sept 1999. His 25 years in Knoxville were filled with many activities, including Knoxville Rotary, Saturday Morning Bible Study, & Cherokee Country Club, and the Knoxville Museum of Art. He also served on the Boards of Helen Ross McNabb,and U.T. Haslam Business School, & consulted for the East TN Foundation. His crowning achievement, which required so much time, effort, anguish and love, was the establishment of the East Knox Free Medical Clinic. Thanks to Janet Perkey, M.D., Matthew Helms and many wonderful volunteers, the clinic is thriving and providing medical services and free lunches to many in need. He is pre-deceased by his only child, Hendon Russell “Rusty” Johnston, III; his parents, Hendon and Myrtle Brewer Johnston, and his brother and sister in law, James and Shirley Fair, He is survived by his wife of 64 years, nephews Jim Fair (Jennifer) & Doug Fair(Jody), niece Savilla Fair Cribbs; and several great nieces and nephews. A celebration of Russ’ life will be held at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church on Wed, July 24th at 3:30pm, with reception to follow in the River Room at Cherokee Country Club, hosted in loving memory of Russ by dear friends, Charles and Lori Wharton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to the East Knoxville Free Health Clinic at Magnolia Avenue United Methodist Church 2700 E Magnolia Ave. Knoxville, TN, 37914, or Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church. On-line condolences may be extended at www.rosefuneraltn.com

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Hendon "Russ" Russell Johnston Jr.

January 5, 1939 - July 19, 2024