GARY RAY JOHNSTON

NEVADA, Mo.- Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Pentecostal Assembly, 2010 N. Ash, Nevada, for Gary Ray Johnston, 83, Nevada, who died Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, after a lengthy illness. Pastor Dennis Engelbrecht will officiate.

There will be informal visitation before and after the service.

Arrangements are under the direction of Ferry Funeral Home.

The obituary may be viewed and condolences sent online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.

Mr. Johnston was one of eight children born to Audie and Mae Johnston, Lamar. He was a 1955 graduate of Lamar High School and was a member of Pentecostal Assembly in Nevada.

On March 5, 1979, he married Lynn who survives of the home. She lists no maiden name because she said she wasn't anybody until she became his; that they were of each other. To this union were born two sons, Beau Johnston (Tara) and Tad Johnston, both of Nevada. Mr. Johnston and wife combined a family of yours, mine, ours and theirs to create their own family legacy; they were all his kids. Left to honor this fine man are JW “Dub” Stark and wife Brenda, Nevada, Bea Lyda, Coalgate, Okla., Gary Lee Johnston, LaClede, John Howell, Nevada, Scotty McGaha, Nevada, Carrie Mae Bergman and husband Greg, Kansas City, Mo., Angie Beckman, Nevada, Gaila Fioretti and husband Pat, Harrison, Ark. and son, Dean Stark, who preceded him in death. Countless grandkids have a grandpa to look up to now and forever.

Mr. Johnston was born into a musical family and when asked how old he was when he learned to play, he laughingly said he was eight before he realized everybody didn’t play. He was always smiling or laughing. His beloved siblings include Gailand Johnston, Lamar, Maxine Francis, Lamar, Thelma Lehman and husband Roy, Lamar and Connie Taylor and husband Bud, Kearney. He has joined Don Johnston, Bud Johnston and Dean Johnston in Heaven where the music can only be imagined.

Gary Johnston was a well renowned fiddler who played everywhere with everybody. He was the one the musicians sought out in a jam session, laughing and playing till the wee hours welcoming the best to the least talented to join him. Most notably he played with the Leavell Brothers and Company Band for a great number of years. Who doesn’t remember dancing to the Leavells and his fiddle?

He was also a local carpenter who would proudly point out to anybody within earshot that he worked on that house or this house and roofed that one with so and so.

He swung a hammer all day, sawed a fiddle all night and used those same hands to hold and love on a gazillion kids during his life time. There will be no other.