Monroe Elementary School, Friends Remember Pat Johnston

Students and teachers at gathered Friday to remember music teacher Pat Johnston who died in early September.

On the crisp morning the children gathered outside to sing songs they learned from Johnston and share memories of the man who loved to goof around.

Superintendent Randy Charles sent home a letter in a sealed envelope with students who attend Monroe Elementary and Jefferson Intermediate Schools informing parents of Johnston’s passing. The district wanted to give parents the opportunity to tell their children the news.

Students at Monroe were able to write memories of Johnston last week in classes. Those memories were put in a box that was dedicated to his family at the memorial ceremony.

Teachers, staff and parents organized the memorial ceremony as a way to give the children some closure.

“It was a real community effort,” Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Danielle Tormala said. “They wanted to help to provide an opportunity for kids to remember him and do it in an upbeat, kid-friendly way.”

The Mascot Kids, an honor choir Johnston had directed, led the group in singing one of Johnston’s favorite songs.

One by one, several students stepped forward and shared their memories of Johnston.

One girl read out the letters in his name and shared what they stood for: “Peaceful, awesome, tall,” she said.

“He loved to dress up, play around and sing,” another student said.

In unison, the students said aloud that they would always remember Johnston as a fun and caring teacher and dedicated a box of memories to his family.

Several parents and former students attended the memorial at the school.

Johnston was involved in musical endeavors throughout the community. He led choirs at Parish. He also played the clarinet and sang in the St. Charles Municipal Band. Over the summer, he taught music summer camp.

Nancy Garza, director of the St. Charles Municipal Band, said Johnston played with the band for 16 years. 

She said everyone she talked to was devastated by the news that he died.

“He had so much to offer,” she said. “He was extremely talented.”

When the band marched in the Fourth of July parade, Garza remembers Johnston stopping to say hi to kids he knew.

“He’s taught in three different elementary schools, he knows everybody along the route,” she said. “He loved the kids and the kids loved him.”

He was recognized as a "Good Neighbor" by the Suburban Journals in an article published last year. 

"Pat is the kind of person every community covets and every person enjoys calling neighbor," the article read.

According to the St. Charles School District, services for Johnston will be at 10 a.m. Sept. 24th at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church with a reception to follow.