Gregory A. Johnston

Gregory (Greg) A. Johnston of Cody, Wyoming died March 28, 2018. Greg was born in Hot Springs, Montana on March 22, 1953 to Ed and Lucy Johnston. Greg was raised in Thompson Falls, Montana where he attended all 12 years of school, graduating in 1971. While in Junior High and High School, he worked part-time at the Gambles Hardware Store in Thompson Falls. He also worked for several ranches, cut and sold firewood, painted fences and tied flies for a tackle company. From a very young age, Greg was a workaholic.

In 1971, Greg joined the Montana Army National Guard and went to Fort Knox for Basic Training. After Basic, he was trained as a tank driver. Greg spent three years in the Montana National Guard and three years in the Wyoming National Guard.

Greg started working at the Gambles Hardware Store in Cody in July 1973. Shortly after, he started buying stock in the business and by 1980, he was able to buy out the previous owners. In 1982, he expanded into the adjoining building. That was the beginning of many ambitious ventures including buying rental properties, starting a small finance company, opening Gambles Furniture Store, a candy vending business, a consignment sales business and supplying merchandise to six other stores in Montana and Wyoming. In 1999, Greg was chosen to run the local J.C. Penney Catalog Store, and in 2004 he bought a hardware store in Greybull. Greg was driven to expand and grow, thriving on new challenges in life. During his 42 years in business, Greg had over 100 employees and estimated that he had delivered 50,000 appliances and furniture. Greg was kind and generous to his customers, once cutting down a tree for an older gentleman, rather than selling him a saw.

Greg retired in 2015, moving onto other interests including selling firewood with his son Andy, traveling with his wife to visit his kids and granddaughters and driving for Whitlock Motors. He loved his family and doted on his four granddaughters.

Greg was proceeded in death by his parents, stepson Matt McNamara and granddaughter, Malice. He is survived by his wife Diana of Cody, his brother Steve Commers of Boise, his sons Brian (B.J.) Johnston of Minneapolis, and Andy Johnston of Cody, his stepchildren Marybeth McNamara of Billings, Jessi Hinkley of Cody and Tanner Schultz of Mesa, and granddaughters Maddie, Riley, Skarlett and Aspen.