Ann H. Johnston

Ann Haney Johnston, born March 25, 1917, in Chillicothe, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 16, 2018, at Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg. She was a resident of Elmcroft Senior Living in Martinsburg.
She was the daughter of Laura Uhrig Haney and Walter G. Haney (both deceased) of Chillicothe.
During her school years, she was active in both music and sports. She graduated from Chillicothe High School in 1934, and Ohio Wesleyan University in 1938. She carried majors in music, English and French. Following graduation, she taught high school for three years in Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
In 1942, she became secretary for the War Department of ALCOA in Chillicothe and later transferred with ALCOA to Lima, Ohio. In 1948, she was promoted to secretary to the general manager of ALCOA back in Chillicothe.
In 1953, she married Robert (Bob) R. Johnston, also of Chillicothe. Following their marriage, they moved to Washington, D.C., where Bob was a photographer for the U.S. Bureau of Standards. While in the area, Ann became the choir director at Hughes United Methodist Church and retained that position for many years. Following Bob’s retirement, they moved to Shepherdstown, where she joined New Street United Methodist Church, became active in their choir and later became their director of music. She was also a singing member of the Masterworks Chorale at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
For many years, Ann was an active member of the New Street United Methodist Women’s Organization, and was also a member of the Shepherdstown Women’s Club. Ann was an avid reader, and in her later years, as her eyesight deteriorated, she relied heavily on the Library of Congress free audio books on tape program.
A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m., Saturday, May 26, to be held at New Street United Methodist Church, 202 West New St., Shepherdstown, WV 25433.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ann’s name to “Reading is Fundamental,” a major advocacy group for children’s literacy, or to New Street United Methodist Church.