Thelma Doreen (Appleby) Johnston

Thelma Doreen (Appleby) Johnston of Blyth, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family at Seaforth Manor on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. She was in her 84th year. 

Thelma was the beloved wife of the late Ken “Speed” Johnston (2007) and the late Gordon McDougall (1995). She was the loving mother of Wayne (Debbie) McDougall, Bill (Brenda) McDougall, Diane (Ken) Anderson, Shirley Taylor (Dave Armstrong) and Kevin McDougall (Terri Harrison). 

Thelma will be missed by 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. She was stepmother of Glenda (Dane) Novak, Blaine (Tracy) Johnston, Dori Johnston (Chris Shalone), Lee (Albert) Kwong and Sonya (Jeff) Werner. 

Thelma was the dear sister of Marguerite Peckitt, Don (Sharon) Appleby and sister-in-law of Lillian Appleby. She will also be missed by nieces and nephews. 

Thelma was predeceased by her parents Samuel and Mary Appleby, brothers Lloyd and Bill Appleby, brother-in-law John Peckitt, sister-in-law Iona MacLean, son-in-law Dan Taylor and grandson Luke Anderson. 

Thelma was a long-time member of the Blyth Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, having joined in 1988 as a fraternal affiliate member. In 1991 she was given honorary membership to the Branch.

In 1998, Thelma became an associate voting member and then was voted in as second-vice president of the Branch.

Thelma served as Branch president from 2002 to 2006.

She also held various chair positions over the course of her time with the Legion, including Training, Organization and Development, Constitutional Laws, Honours and Awards, Membership and Nevada. She remained the Chair of both Membership and Nevada at the time of her death.

Thelma was very active in both the Branch’s Poppy campaign and its Remembrance Day service.

Not only did she hold a Zone C-1 Bursary Chair position, but in 2015 she was presented with a life membership award to the Blyth Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.

In 2003, Thelma was named The Citizen’s Citizen of the Year for the Blyth community alongside Bev Blair. In addition to numerous other community responsibilities, the two women were integral parts of the Blyth 125th anniversary committee.

Visitation was held at the Blyth United Church on Friday, April 2l followed by the funeral service on Saturday, April 22 with interment at Blyth Union Cemetery. 

As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Blyth Legion or the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated. 

Condolences for the Johnston family may be placed through www.falconerfuneralhomes.com