Johnston, Patricia A.

Patricia A. Johnston, age 90, passed away on January 22, 2026 after a long illness.  Pat, the oldest of nine children, was born on November 20, 1935 to the late Charles and Vivian (Bowers) Parkos in Dodgeville, Wisconsin.  Pat grew up in Mineral Point and graduated from Mineral Point High School in 1953.  After graduation, she attended Madison Business College and received her accounting and advanced secretarial diploma in June of 1954.  She worked for Borden in Madison until she married William Bracken Johnston on December 18, 1954.  

Pat lived her entire life on the family farm where she raised her family of 5 children.  She learned to make homemade bread and buns, planted and harvested a huge garden every year, and canned and froze a variety of foods for the family to live on year-round.  Pat was also a seamstress.  She made some of her children's clothing when they were young and was always behind the sewing machine mending and creating something new from a variety of patterns. 

To supplement the farm income, she reupholstered furniture.  She began by reupholstering her own furniture, and word spread quickly about her skill and she was soon reupholstering furniture from homes coast-to-coast.  Pat eventually cut down on the amount of reupholstering and began child care for neighborhood children as their mothers began working outside the home.  She cared for children for over 30 years.  Additionally, when the Town Treasurer position opened up in the Willow Springs Township, she won the election and held that office until her retirement.

Pat was a lifelong member of the Mineral Point Congregational United Church of Christ where she attended Sunday school in her youth and taught Sunday School as an adult.  Pat actively volunteered at the church in many ways. She enjoyed baking and serving at community meals, church luncheons, and pasty sales.  She also volunteered on Youth Mission Trips and participated in a partnership group with the Evangelical Church in Rhineland, Germany.  Pat sewed many baby blankets for the church and also made catheter bag covers and lap quilts for area nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Pat is survived by her daughter, Marcia (Jim) Gratz and three grandchildren:  Bryan Johnston, Amanda Scerri, and Amber Gratz.

She is also survived by siblings Shirley (Keith) Ayer, Trudy (Emerson) Gard, Roger (Nancy) Parkos, and Linda Bloom, daughter-in-law Gwen Johnston, and sisters-in-law Jenny Parkos and Helen Komplin; along with many nieces and nephews.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband Bracken; her four sons Bruce, David, Jerry and Scott, her parents, Charles and Vivian Parkos, siblings Nancy (John) Goldthorpe, Bert (Chuckie) Parkos, Gary (Jenny) Parkos and Ronnie Parkos, mother and father in-law Charles and Dorothy Johnston, sister-in-law Chuckie Parkos, brothers-in-law John Goldthorpe, Gilbert Bloom, and Neil Komplin.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 12:00 noon at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Mineral Point.  Pastor Daniel Yeazel will officiate.  Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery in Mineral Point.  A visitation will be held from 10:00 until 11:50 AM at the church on Saturday morning. 

The family extends heartfelt thanks to Upland Hills Health Home Care and Hospice and the staff at CrestRidge Senior Living for their compassionate and excellent care.

In Lieu of flowers memorials to the Congregational United Church of Christ would be appreciated. 

Gorgen Funeral Home

www.gorgenfh.com