Gunnard Johnston

Our prayers and support for you and your family at this time of transition.   Let us remember the joy and love you shared.  It is forever.

I remember Mary's amazing eyes.   Like looking into a clear, deep, very peaceful but full of life, light blue ocean.  I also attended the Elliot School from kindergarten through half-way third 3rd grade, whereupon my family moved from Carter Road to 743 Webster Street, near May Street.   I believe that's when I first saw Mary and her deep blue eyes, which always kind of mesmerized me, then later when we were reunited at Pollard.  God bless Mary.

May God bless Janet for her love and giving to others.

Always fond memories of Ricky.  Always a positive, upbeat guy.   Live on, Mr. Positive!!   You left a good mark.

I remember Roger as a good-hearted gentle soul.   May he continue to bring his peaceful, kind heart to lift up others all over the world.
 

Posted on: Mar 17, 2016 at 6:56 PM

Happy Birthday, kid. ;-)

Needham is forever a significant part of me, something that can never be removed. It's a part of who I am, a significant series of events and how I got "shaped", where I learned so many things and had so many experiences that last for eternity. I look forward to seeing and meeting all of my classmates at the reunion.

I, too, was a guest at Billy's basement "bunker" a few times.   What always struck me the strongest was the fact that Billy and all his family were all at peace in accepting that Bill was always living on the edge through no fault of his own.   There was not a whole lot that could be done about hemophilia, certainly not at that time.  Billy knew it, his parents knew it, his siblings knew it.   They didn't get down and self-pitying about it but just lived on as best as circumstances allowed.   I really admired that quality about Billy and his entire family.  I remember one time I visited -- and we were in the basement -- and Billy started bouncing a basketball.  I got my turn at it and was bouncing away when Billy suddenly made a lunge for the ball to take it away from me.  When he tried to slap the ball away from me his hand hit a pencil I had in my pocket, sticking pointed end up.  Bill got a small puncture from the pencil, and a little bleeding started.   I got very concerned about it and said we should call his parents and maybe go to the doctor's office, but he just said it was no big deal, that it would have been much worse if he had bruised himself; punctures were "not such a problem".   So, we just played on.  I think Bill knew his time was going to be abbreviated, so he was determined to wring out as much as he could while he had the chance.   I say he accomplished a lot.  Bill is certainly an inspiration even now almost six decades later.

I remember Eddie.   Nice kid, soft spoken.   We played hockey together.   He always gave his best.  Reliable team mate.   To me his life is a reminder:   we live on this earth for a limited time -- could be a few years, could be a hundred, but not much more, if that.   Eventually all of us will graduate to the eternal world of the spirit.   It is not a choice, not something we can refuse to go to if we don't want.   Nor is it a fantasy concocted by imagination.   It's real.  And it is where we reap the results of what we have done over this time we have on earth.   So it's always best to live right.   Memories are forever.

Hey, Jeff Feeley, Howie, Virginia, Rick Stark, John Halbrooks, Chucky Charlton, Les, and all:   good to see you again.