Johnston, Homer T. “Tulip”

Homer was born to Thomas F. and Astress (Craig) Johnston on December 7, 1920, in Blackwell, MO.  He was the first born of 13 children.  He spent his childhood in Blackwell, Tiff, and DeSoto, MO, often getting mad at his sisters for choosing to play with their dolls instead of baseball with him and his 8 brothers.  He played with the Little League in grade school, and by the time he graduated from Potosi High School in 1939, was known around the area for playing serious baseball with adults.  Scouts for the St. Louis Cardinals had their eye on him, and he was the first of over 1,000 young men that they signed.  He played in the Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League (KITTY League) until he was drafted into WWII in 1942.  After serving for 3 years, he returned to the KITTY League.  He was awarded a special bat during the 2005 KITTY League reunion for holding the record for the highest nominal batting average in the KITTY League with a .453 average.

Homer met his wife, Erna (Hager), on a blind date, which of course entailed going to a ball game.  They married on February 15, 1947, at St. Margaret of Scotland Church in St. Louis, MO.  She told him it was time to get a “real job” and he began his career in route sales for Colonial Baking Company.  He loved his family, camping, fishing, hunting, traveling in his RV with family, playing poker with his brothers, and just sitting outside smoking a good cigar!

Homer is survived by his wife and soulmate, Erna, to whom he was married for 75 years.  They would celebrate their anniversary (until COVID) by returning to St. Margaret of Scotland Church to attend mass each year in February.

He is survived by his daughter, Karen, and son-in-law, Joe Staten.  He is preceded in death by his sons, Kevin, Bruce and Brian, and daughter, Nancy Sandlin Barr.  He is survived by 4 grandchildren: Katie Feldmeier, Greg Staten, Pam (Greg) Reece, and Grace Brown, 6 great-grandchildren: Andrew Feldmeier, Daniel Feldmeier, Jessi (Scott) Friese, Jacob Brown, Lilly Reece and Liam Reece, and 1 great-great-grandchild: Cayden Friese.  And let’s not forget his 3 grand-dogs: Cooper, Cole and Gio.

Visitation will be held on Monday, November 7, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Kutis Funeral Home, 10151 Gravois, St. Louis, MO.  Visitation and Service will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, starting at 9:00 a.m. at Dietrich-Mothershead Funeral Home, 220 N. Main Street, DeSoto, MO, with the interment immediately following at Calvary Cemetery in DeSoto, MO.