With broken hearts and teary eyes, we announce the passing of Kenneth Patrick Johnston of Port Lambton, who passed away surrounded by his three daughters on October 28th, 2026, at the age of 66. Ken was the eldest son of the late Gerald and Shirley (Hanmore) Johnston. He was predeceased by his brother Jim (Bonnie) Johnston and will be lovingly remembered by his siblings Cathy (Jamie) Taylor, Raymond (Michelle) Johnston and Kevin (Kelly) Johnston. He was the loving and proud father of three daughters, Tiffany (Tom) Marciniak, Rebecca (Iain) Benusik, and Megan (Hugo) Branco. Ken will be dearly missed by his 9 grandchildren Lucas, Cameron, Scarlett, Ryan, Mason, Zachary, Marcus, Veronica, and Sara. His memory will be cherished by a wide circle of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and close friends.
Ken was a hardworking man with a heart of gold, quick wit, and a mind of his own. He had the best sense of humour, an uncanny ability to make his loved ones smile and had a sarcastic remark for just about any occasion. He grew up in Port Lambton attending Sacred Heart School and WDSS in Wallaceburg. He worked many jobs putting himself through college learning “Process Piping Design”. He entered the workforce as a draftsman and secured a long-standing position with Chinook Group. In his later years, he continued to upgrade his skills to stay ahead and landed a QC Project Coordinator role with St Clair Mechanical. He was a valued teammate and mentor, even after retirement, whose name is still mentioned in project meetings today. Hockey and football season were Kenny’s favourite time of year. He was an avid Detroit Red Wings fan and a closeted Leaf’s fan. He cheered on the Blue Jays and Kansas City Chiefs as well. He was also passionate (and protective) about his classic cars and enjoyed his time camping at Klondyke Park.
His three daughters were his pride and joy, and he was extremely proud of their accomplishments which he shared with them often. He loved to call the girls to “shoot the breeze” and was always there to give the best advice. He looked forward to watching his grandchildren play his favourite sports and catching one of their hockey or baseball games.. He understood that life wasn’t always easy, and he never hesitated to offer a listening ear, or a few words of wisdom. If he taught us anything, it was to take life one day, one hour, one minute, or one second at a time. To always remember that life was meant to be lived, adventures are meant to be taken, and there is always room for forgiveness, love and laughter.
Ken leaves behind a lifetime of memories, countless friendships, family – including chosen family, who will forever miss his presence, his sense of humour, his laughter, and yes – even his stubbornness. While our hearts are broken, we take comfort in knowing he lived a life filled with love, compassion, laughter, knowledge, friendships and adventure. He didn’t need grand gestures to make a difference in someone’s life. He simply showed up, gave what he could and loved wholeheartedly. He may be gone from our sight, but his memory and the love he gave so freely will live on in our hearts forever. And somewhere, we can almost hear him making one last sarcastic remark about all the fuss.
We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Chatham-Kent Health Alliance who provided Ken with compassionate, dignified comfort and care in his final moments. In honour of Ken, donations may be made in his memory to the Canadian Lung Association. Family and friends are invited to gather for visitation at Haycock-Cavanagh Funeral Home, 409 Nelson Street in Wallaceburg (519-627-3231) on Thursday, November 5th from 2-4 and 6-8. The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 11am at Sacred Heart Church on Friday, November 6th. A Luncheon to follow at Port Lambton Community Hall. A private family burial will take place at a later date.
