Beryl Johnston

On January 12, 2022, Beryl Johnston passed away peacefully at Sunnyside Manor, Birtle, at the age of 92.

Beryl was born on October 25th, 1929, to William and Effie (Perry) McConochie at Portage la Prairie.

Beryl grew up on the family farm at Edwin and, after completing high school in Portage la Prairie, attend the Manitoba Normal School and obtained her Teacher Permit in 1950. Beryl taught at Edwin, Killarney and finally at Burdette School near Birtle where she met Duncan Johnston. 

On October 29, 1955, Beryl married Dunc and moved to the family farm at Birtle. Dunc and Beryl both got their private pilots license and enjoyed flying their own Piper PA12 plane. They enjoyed fly-in fishing trips with friends to Northern Manitoba. Flying took a back seat with the arrival of their children, Blair and Kylie, but there was always much excitement when planes landed on the airstrip in the field in front of the house.

In 1985, Dunc and Beryl moved to Birtle where they enjoyed retirement filled with gardening, walks along the river and going for drives in the country until Dunc’s death in 1996. 

Beryl was always creative, whether it was sewing, decorating, or gardening. Beryl was an avid painter. She painted the massive backdrop scenes for the Birtle Figure Skating Club’s production of Cinderella and later moved to oil and canvas. Her paintings were of the farm and nature, but she especially loved trees. 

One of Beryl’s biggest passions was gardening, and she spent many loving hours creating the beautiful Westwind Garden surrounding their home in Birtle.

Beryl was known to her grandchildren by many different names. To Michael, Fayme and David, she was Grandma up the Hill, to Kendra she was Nana and her great-grandchildren, Ashton and Dayton, called her GG. One of her favourite things to do with her grandkids was Cookie Day, which took place right before Christmas, when they would get together to bake Christmas cookies. 

Beryl was predeceased by her husband, Duncan Johnston, her son, Blair Johnston, her parents William and Effie McConochie, and her siblings, Laura Lyall, Phyllis Ranson, Bill McConochie, Bob McConochie, Jack McConochie and Helen Troop, in-laws Margaret Carscadden, Donald Johnston, Dave Johnston, Addie Carscadden, and Cathie Smith. She is survived by her daughter Kylie, (Ken) Lamb, daughter-in-law Geraldine Johnston, grandchildren Michael, Fayme, David and Kendra and great-grand children, Ashton and Dayton, sisters-in-law Mabel McConochie and Ethel (Ron) Bullock and brother-in-law Lawrence Smith as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Thank-you to the wonderful staff at Birtle Transitional Unit, Sunnyside Manor and Dr. Honiball for their kind and compassionate care.

The funeral service was held on Saturday, January 22, 2022, from Rae’s Funeral Chapel, Shoal Lake with Linda Clerk officiating.  The organist was Isobel Basso.  Interment followed in the Birtle Cemetery.  Pallbearers were Ken Lamb, Michael Johnston, David Johnston, Rick Snow, Ken Farquhar, and Fred Cottingham.  To offer condolences to the family or view the funeral service please visit www.raesfs.ca  If friends so desire donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba or the Birtle Arboretum.  Rae’s Funeral Service of Shoal Lake and Erickson were in care of arrangements.