Johnston

Ruth Kukura Johnston, 75, of DeLand, Fla., passed away Sunday at the Alliance Community for Retirement Living in DeLand.

She was born May 20, 1934, in Butler to Mary K. and William P. Kukura and moved with her family to New York, N.Y., in 1940, and then to DeLand in 1948.

She was a 1952 graduate of DeLand High School. After graduation, she attended Center College in Danville, Ky., for two years before transferring to Florida State University. After graduating from FSU with a bachelor's degree in education in 1956, she returned to DeLand to begin a teaching career in the Volusia County School System.

She married Sydney Dick Johnston in 1956 and raised four sons.

She was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church, serving in many leadership roles over the years. She was a member of the DeLand Garden Club, the AN chapter of PEO, a sustaining member of the Junior Welfare League and supported worthy causes in the community.

She is survived by her husband of 53 years, S. Dick Johnston of DeLand; sons, Sidney P. Johnston (Ginger) of DeLand, Jeffrey B. Johnston (Donna) of DeLand, W. Corbin Johnston of Salt Lake City and Mark A. Johnston (Erin) of DeLand; a brother, Philip F. Kukura (Nancy) of Melrose, Mass.; and four grandchildren.

<B>JOHNSTON</B> — A memorial service for Ruth Kukura Johnston, who died Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, will be held in her honor at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, at the First Presbyterian Church in DeLand, Fla.The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Halifax Health Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 3800 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange, FL 32129.<B>Lankford Funeral Home</B> in DeLand, Fla., is in charge of arrangements.