Robert (Bob) H. Johnston, 80, Newell, died, May 7, 2026 at his home in Newell.

Bob, the son of Robert and Elisabeth (Rose) Johnston, was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and his family moved to Illinois where he lived until graduating from Lake Park High School where he played and developed a love for football that would last his entire life. He attended SDSU where he participated in rodeo riding bulls and bareback. He continued at SDSU to get his Masters in Animal Nutrition and Biochemistry. Bob met his wife Lori (Delores ) Wilcox at SDSU and they married while in college.

He was the Ag teacher and FFA advisor in Newell for 17 years where he was affectionately known by his students as “Bad Bob”. After teaching Bob owned and operated a sprinkler business until selling it in 2006 to concentrate on raising and training quarter horses. He was always able to tell a story about experiences or jokes and he never forgot any details. Customers who came to purchase horses were treated with delightful details about his life and his horses, including the story about how he got to warm up a horse for Casey Tibbs for an interview before the premiere of the movie Born to Buck at the drive-in movie theater in Brookings.

Bob was proud of raising horses that were successful in roping, barrels and just all-around good horses. He believed his major accomplishment was achieving 41 years of sobriety by doing it One Day at a Time.

Bob is survived by his brothers, R. Andrew and William Johnston, his wife Lori and son Lonnie R Johnston, his mother-in-law, Margit Wilcox and his grandchildren, Cassie (Marvin) King, Payton Johnston, Chase Johnston, Hayden Johnston, Deven Johnston and Kyler Johnston. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. He was preceded in death by his brother Harry G Johnston and his parents.

As per Bob’s request he was cremated and there will not be a service. There will be a celebration of life for family and friends later this summer, time and dates will be announced.