Obituary of Hiram Rudolph Johnston, Sr.

Johnston, Hiram Rudolph, Sr. was born in Moorestown, NJ on April 30, 1924. On Sunday, November 29, 2009, at the age of 85, he departed this life at Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, NJ. He was the sixth of seven children born to the late William Augustus and Mamie Johnston. He was predeceased by three brothers, William Augustus Johnston, Ralph Johnston and Sylvester Johnston and three sisters, Dolores Williams, Dayse Bullock and Edythe Johnston. "Harm", as he was affectionately known by family and friends, was educated in the Burlington County public school system. In 1943, he joined the U.S. Navy where he was stationed in Great Lakes, Ill. and Hawaii. Later, he valiantly fought in World War II and was Honorably Discharged in 1946. In 1947, he was united in Holy Matrimony to Samaria A. Turner. To this union, five children were born. Upon leaving the military, he worked for the naval shipyard in Philadelphia, PA; Sun Shipyard in Chester, PA and Build-Well Industries in Delanco, NJ. He spent most of his career as a self-employed master carpenter in the South Jersey area. In 1977, Harm became a follower of the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin and was given the protective scroll called the "Gohonzo." He continued to practice Buddhism throughout his life. Harm loved to laugh. He was a natural-born jokester and had an arsenal of stories that he loved to tell his family and friends. Harm also had a knack for cooking and loved experimenting with new recipes. He leaves to cherish his memory, six children, Hiram R. Johnston, Jr. (Waradah), Geraldine E. Hines (Ronald), Kevin R. Johnston, Walter R. Johnston, William A. Johnston and Carol (Tammy) Devine; two sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Johnston and Darnell Johnston; one brother-in-law, Walter Bullock; ten grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren; devoted friends, Blanche Pratt, Bob Marinnie and Theodore Scott and a host of loving relatives and friends.