Industry veteran Lorne Johnston dead at 67
Industry veteran Lorne Johnston dead at 67
Former produce industry veteran Lorne Johnston died May 20 of a heart attack, leaving behind produce industry friends who trace back several decades.
Mr. Johnston's fatal heart attack followed a stroke he suffered a few days earlier. It was a major heart attack in 1993 that forced Mr. Johnston into retirement. At the time, he was sales manager for United Fruit Marketing in Yakima, WA. He worked there from 1992 to 1994.
Brenda Johnston said that her husband of 24 years loved the produce business. "[Lorne] was happiest telling stories," Ms. Johnston said. "He loved people and selling fruit for growers. Mr. Johnston got a lot of satisfaction from helping small growers sell their produce, she said.
Away from work, Mr. Johnston enjoyed playing golf, and together he and his wife shared a Baptist faith.
Louis Chenault, a salesman from Santa Maria, CA, for Placentia, CA-based Sunrise Growers, had a friendship with Mr. Johnston that dated back about 30 years to their days at Tenneco West. "He was quite a guy, Mr. Chenault said. "He had a mind & he'd come up with things and you'd say, 'How did he come up with that?' Mr. Chenault said, "If you were his friend, then your family was his family.
Mr. Johnston's career in produce began with C.H. Robinson, for whom he worked in various sales and marketing capacities from 1961 to 1970. He was a native of Oklahoma City and began with C.H. Robinson there before stints in Peoria, IL, Chicago and Minneapolis.
From 1970 to 1972, Mr. Johnston was a salesman for Charles E. Gilb Co. in Bakersfield, CA. From 1972 to 1981, Mr. Johnston worked for the firm Heggblade Marguleas Tenneco, which became Tenneco West, first as a salesman and later as director of marketing. It was there that he met the woman he later married.
From 1981 to 1983, Mr. Johnston was executive vice president and general manager for Growers Distributing Co. in Bakersfield, CA, handling grapes and tree fruit from California and Chile.
Mr. Johnston was vice president and general manager of tree fruit and grapes from California and Chile for Dole Fresh Fruit's operation in Bakersfield from 1983 to 1985. He founded North & South Americas Inc. in 1985, marketing tree fruit and grapes from California, Mexico and Chile. The company disbanded in 1986.
From 1987 to 1989, Mr. Johnston was sales manager for Bartel Marketing in Fresno. From 1990 to 1992, he was president of sales and marketing for Houston-based International Cargo Network. His last employment in the fresh produce industry was at United Fruit Marketing in Yakima, WA.
During the Korean War, Mr. Johnston served in the 101st Airborne Division and was a U.S. Army Ranger. His ashes will be inurned at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, in a ceremony on Oct. 7. Private services for Mr. Johnston were held in Fresno by Neptune Society of Central California. Donations may be made to The Gideons International.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Johnston is survived by a daughter from a previous marriage, Kathleen Ward of Amarillo, TX; his mother, Hyacinth Johnston of Yakima, WA; a brother, Scott Johnston of Kennewick, WA; and a sister, Susan Alexander of Lodi, CA.
Mr. Johnston's fatal heart attack followed a stroke he suffered a few days earlier. It was a major heart attack in 1993 that forced Mr. Johnston into retirement. At the time, he was sales manager for United Fruit Marketing in Yakima, WA. He worked there from 1992 to 1994.
Brenda Johnston said that her husband of 24 years loved the produce business. "[Lorne] was happiest telling stories," Ms. Johnston said. "He loved people and selling fruit for growers. Mr. Johnston got a lot of satisfaction from helping small growers sell their produce, she said.
Away from work, Mr. Johnston enjoyed playing golf, and together he and his wife shared a Baptist faith.
Louis Chenault, a salesman from Santa Maria, CA, for Placentia, CA-based Sunrise Growers, had a friendship with Mr. Johnston that dated back about 30 years to their days at Tenneco West. "He was quite a guy, Mr. Chenault said. "He had a mind & he'd come up with things and you'd say, 'How did he come up with that?' Mr. Chenault said, "If you were his friend, then your family was his family.
Mr. Johnston's career in produce began with C.H. Robinson, for whom he worked in various sales and marketing capacities from 1961 to 1970. He was a native of Oklahoma City and began with C.H. Robinson there before stints in Peoria, IL, Chicago and Minneapolis.
From 1970 to 1972, Mr. Johnston was a salesman for Charles E. Gilb Co. in Bakersfield, CA. From 1972 to 1981, Mr. Johnston worked for the firm Heggblade Marguleas Tenneco, which became Tenneco West, first as a salesman and later as director of marketing. It was there that he met the woman he later married.
From 1981 to 1983, Mr. Johnston was executive vice president and general manager for Growers Distributing Co. in Bakersfield, CA, handling grapes and tree fruit from California and Chile.
Mr. Johnston was vice president and general manager of tree fruit and grapes from California and Chile for Dole Fresh Fruit's operation in Bakersfield from 1983 to 1985. He founded North & South Americas Inc. in 1985, marketing tree fruit and grapes from California, Mexico and Chile. The company disbanded in 1986.
From 1987 to 1989, Mr. Johnston was sales manager for Bartel Marketing in Fresno. From 1990 to 1992, he was president of sales and marketing for Houston-based International Cargo Network. His last employment in the fresh produce industry was at United Fruit Marketing in Yakima, WA.
During the Korean War, Mr. Johnston served in the 101st Airborne Division and was a U.S. Army Ranger. His ashes will be inurned at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, in a ceremony on Oct. 7. Private services for Mr. Johnston were held in Fresno by Neptune Society of Central California. Donations may be made to The Gideons International.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Johnston is survived by a daughter from a previous marriage, Kathleen Ward of Amarillo, TX; his mother, Hyacinth Johnston of Yakima, WA; a brother, Scott Johnston of Kennewick, WA; and a sister, Susan Alexander of Lodi, CA.
