Daniel "Dan" Johnston

Duneland philanthropist Dan Johnston passes at 86

One of Duneland’s greatest community advocates and activists has died.

Dan Johnston, 86, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.

He was born on Aug. 23, 1937 to Donald and Margaret (Murphy) Johnston.

A lifelong Chesterton resident, Dan was a Chesterton High School graduate, Class of 1955; a veteran of the U.S. Army and Army National Guard; a union pipefitter who mentored many apprentices; a licensed plumber; a builder with many houses to his credit; and at 86 years old still an active licensed plumbing contractor.

Dan believed with all his heart in the sacramental quality of manual labor, when performed in the service of others and in recognition of their abiding dignity as fellow humans. Naturally he sought every opportunity to put his own hands to work, not only with such local organizations as Habitat for Humanity in Michigan City (for which he served as past president) and Rebuilding Together Duneland. Dan also journeyed the world to donate his skills and his sweat, to Zambia in Africa, where he designed, pipe by pipe, a clean water and sanitation system to a hospital; to Kentucky, where he heard God’s call to bring the gift of heat to a remote mountain orphanage one frigid winter; to Mississippi, on a Katrina relief mission; and to Kenya and Ukraine on medical missions with his dear wife, Joy.

Even to attempt to list Dan’s many commitments to Duneland is likely to miss many others: Boy and Girl Scouting; Indian Guides; Church Council; CHS anti drug program and the Indiana Title I . But perhaps he is best known as one of the founders and the guiding light of the Duneland Resale Inc. which over 20 years with their dedication team of volunteers recirculated $3,6 million into the community to help those in need.

Dan was instrumental too, as president of the Resale‘s Board of Directors, in the sale of its building at 801 Broadway to NorthShore Health Center in 2021, whose much expanded facility in Downtown Chesterton has proved a boon to so many residents who in the past have been medically underserved. Through his acumen the Resale was able to invest with the Porter County Community Foundation to help others for years to come.

Yet incredibly Dan still found time to indulge his native wanderlust by traveling the world, and at one time or another sojourned in all of Europe’s nations, in China, Australia, Japan, Dubai, etc. anticipating always the thrill of his next unknown destination, even—undoubtedly—his present one.

Dan put others before himself, doubted no man’s or woman’s worth, was everyone’s neighbor, and desired in all he did to be God’s hands and feet.

“Do all you can,” John Wesley wrote—as though once upon a time he’d met Dan on a work site—“By all the means you can, / In all the ways you can, / In all the places you can, / To all the people you can, / As long as ever you can.”

Dan is survived by his wife, Joy; his children, Dana Leady, Chris (Danielle) Johnston, Adam (Lee Ann) Leady, Tim (Angie) Johnston, and Jennette (Chris) Rudzinski; 13 grandchildren, Ryan and Chance (Shiane) Leady, Teagan (Kris), Mackenzie, and Eathen Johnston, Anna, Ian, and Elsa Leady, Magen and T.J. Johnston and Johna Tomecko, and Audrey and Carter Rudzinski; five great-grandchildren, Azalea Ortiz, Claire Leady, Amelia Johnson, Grayson Johnson, and Italy Zampini; and his pal, Scout.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, September 6, 2024 at 11 a.m. at Chesterton United Methodist Church, 434 S 2nd St, Chesterton, IN with Pastor Esta Rosario and Pastor G Thomas Jones officiating.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Dan’s memory to Habitat for Humanity of Porter County at 

https://www.portercountyhabitat.org/donate.html

Please share your wonderful memories with the family at: www.whitelovefuneralhome.com. 

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