ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, September 4, 1996 TAG: 9609040103
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: BETTY HAYDEN SNIDER STAFF WRITER
Clarke Johnston, who sold Roanoke's first radio and later its first television, died Monday of congestive heart failure. He was 95.
He was co-founder of Johnston-Vest Electric Corp. and worked for 25 years as a salesman at Richardson-Wayland Electric Corp.
Johnston, who celebrated his birthday a month ago, was born in Moneta, the fifth of 10 children.
He left the family farm at age 17 and headed to Roanoke with a quarter in his pocket. He lived for a while at the downtown YMCA.
Johnston's sales career started at an office supply store where he earned enough money to buy a set of books on salesmanship. He set out to teach himself how to sell, but his daughter Alice Callison said he really didn't need the books because he already understood the art of salesmanship.
At Richardson-Wayland's Church Avenue store, Johnston sold the first radio and later the first television in Roanoke. He liked to tell people how he sold a television to a blind woman who was only interested in hearing the talking box, Callison said.
Johnston started his own business in 1945 with a service manager from Richardson-Wayland. They sold appliances and heating and air conditioning systems at first but later stopped selling appliances and concentrated on the profitable heating and cooling business.
He put the first air conditioner in a lot of Roanoke homes and businesses, his daughter said.
He retired in 1976 at age 75. He then enjoyed spending time at his Bedford farm, which he considered his retreat.
Johnston also witnessed the early days of WDBJ-Radio, which first broadcast from Richardson-Wayland.
Johnston is survived by his wife of 70 years, Ruby, who is 96, and their three daughters, Callison, Alleen Dalzell and Nancy Thomson, all of Roanoke.
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