Blake Johnston

The Johnston family is saddened to announce the passing of Blake Johnston, of Elliot Lake, at the age of 65. He was born in Sudbury, but apart from a brief stint at Canadore College and a few forays out of town for work, spent most of his life in Elliot Lake. In fact, some referred to him as the town greeter, or the unofficial mayor. He loved to talk, and spoke to anyone and everyone, no matter their age or stage of life. He knew paupers and a surprising number of millionaires, and was genuinely interested in their lives and stories. He was born with learning disabilities at a time when they were barely understood, but managed to work in a variety of fields, including real estate and auto sales, security and property management. He was tight fisted with his money and good at spotting a bargain, which led to a skill at cooking. He would swoop in when sales were on, and would cook a full turkey dinner every weekend if he could. But he also shared the wealth, happy to pack up meals and drop them off to a variety of friends thrilled to enjoy his talents. Blake is survived by his siblings Leanne, Kerry, Steven and Andra. He was predeceased by his mother, teacher Joan Johnston, and father, Denison mechanic Cecil, early settlers in Elliot Lake. A proper celebration of Blake’s life will be announced as soon as it can be arranged. Guests will be expected to start working on their stories about him right away. He’ll be fondly remembered as “a raconteur and bon vivant of the first order.”