Nancy Pyle Johnston

Nancy Pyle Johnston of Easton, MD, passed away on April 22 at Bayleigh Chase after a brief illness. She was 99. Born in Johnstown, PA, she was the daughter of George G. Pyle, a grocer, and Rose Knauf Pyle, a nurse. She was a graduate of Johnstown High School and the University of Pittsburgh. She taught business education at Johnstown area high schools. At Pitt, she met her future husband Robert E. Johnston. They married in 1943 and enjoyed 50 years together wherever Bob’s career as a Bethlehem Steel executive led them, including Buffalo, NY, Harrisburg, PA, Sparrows Point, MD, and Bethlehem, PA. They retired to St. Michaels, MD, in 1982. Nancy was a popular and busy hostess. She enjoyed nothing more than entertaining family and a wide circle of new and longtime friends, planning and cooking lavish meals, meticulously organizing memorable events big and small, and creating fun traditions. In St. Michaels, she was President of the Miles River Half-Miles power squadron auxiliary and organized the activities of the Martingham Ladies Luncheon Club in St. Michaels. She enjoyed travel with her husband and welcomed family and friends to her longtime winter home away from home in Key West. A talented artist, seamstress and needleworker, she took up watercolors late in life, covering her walls and sharing paintings with admirers. She was noted for her hand-painted Christmas cards and for her “nancy jane original” greeting cards designed on one of a series of trusty computers. She took great joy in giving gifts. An avid reader and clever writer, she produced countless witty booklets to celebrate family occasions and, in her 90s, authored two memoirs. She was predeceased by her husband; parents; sisters, Claire Pyle, Ruth Pyle Quirk and Mary Louise Pyle Adams; sons, Michael Johnston of Del Rio, TX, and Lawrence Johnston of Monkton, MD; daughters, Susan Lindbeck of Hampstead, MD, and Martha Johnston of Baltimore, MD; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind many cousins and friends. Friends may call on May 1, 2018, from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. at Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, P.A., 200 S. Harrison St., Easton. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Nancy’s memory may be made to Catholic Relief Services, www.crs.org.

Nancy Pyle Johnston

February 21, 1919 - April 22, 2018