Harold J. Johnston

BARCELONA, Spain — Harold Jardine (Hal) Johnston, 53, of Gorham and Portland died July 1, while vacationing in Barcelona, Spain, due to complications from diabetes and kidney disease.

Hal was an avid traveler and enjoyed visiting many parts of the world including Europe and Latin America. He loved bicycling and hiking and in his youth hiked large portions of the Appalachian Trail. He worked for many years at No Tomatoes, a restaurant in Auburn, where he made many friends and developed gourmet cooking skills. He was well-known for the delicious meals he would prepare for family and friends and owned a catering business in Lewiston for a short time in the 1970s.

He worked for American Express in New York City in customer relations and for United Airlines as a customer service representative. He loved the excitement and travel opportunities living in a big city and working for an airline had to offer. He spent the last years of his life living on Cape Cod and in Gorham helping to care for his parents, Betty and Jim Johnston, who predeceased him. He was also predeceased by his sister, Nancy Johnston Gamez.

Survivors include his sister, Judith Johnston and her husband, Andrew Arsenault, of Wells; his brother, James and his wife, Elizabeth Johnston, of South Berwick; and nieces and nephews, Kate Trombly, Bryant Trombly, Liza Johnston, Emma Johnston, Alice Arsenault, Lucie Arsenault and Charlie Arsenault. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends and will always be remembered for his “joie de vivre,” kindness and sense of adventure.