Marshall W. Johnston, 93, retired president and general manager of The (Janesville) Gazette, died Nov. 13, 2012.
Johnston was born Oct. 25, 1919, in Gilbert, Minn. In September 1946, he was married to Doris Ann Harrang; Together they had four children, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Johnston was a 1939 graduate of UW-River Falls, and attended graduate school at the University of Minnesota. He served in the U.S. Navy in World War II. It was during that time that he met Doris in Minneapolis, and they were married shortly after the war.
They began their life together in Watertown, S.D., where he began his career in the newspaper industry, starting as an advertising sales representative with the Watertown Public Opinion. Johnston assumed various management positions, eventually moving his family to Janesville, where he ultimately became the president and general manager of The Gazette. He retired in 1988, and became chairman of the board of the Gazette Printing Company, parent company of the newspaper. In addition to serving numerous civic organizations within his community, Johnston was recognized by the Beloit-Janesville Symphony Orchestra for his role in initiating the annual Fourth of July concerts in the park. Johnston also served for many years on the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council on behalf of WNA and was especially active in promoting open government records and meetings.
