Many will remember former Limestone County Commission Chairman Sidney Johnston as an avid croquet player who encouraged the city to build croquet courts at recreational facilities, but others say he worked as hard as he played.

Thomas Sidney “Sid” Johnston, 77, of Athens died Saturday, March 15, 2008, at home after a long illness. The family will receive friends from 9:30-11 a.m. today at First Christian Church in Athens. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. at the church, with the Rev. Wendell Miller officiating and McConnell Funeral Home directing. Burial will be in Athens City Cemetery.

Wendell Powers, who served as the District 4 commissioner under Johnston, remember him as a “very efficient chairman, a very hard worker.”

“I never saw his desk when it wasn’t covered up with work,” Powers said. “He brought his lunch to work and his work with him back to the break room when he ate. He was smart and fair. And as a chairman, I never had a problem with Sid. He was always upfront and he did a good job for this county.

“If it hadn’t been for Sidney, I don’t know when we would have gotten water out to West Limestone School or that whole part of the county. The city had a line that went out as far as Owens. We made several trips to Montgomery, and Sidney just got it done. He didn’t give up.”

Powers said Johnston told of when he was in high school and had been awarded a football scholarship, but a hunting accident forced the amputation of his leg.

“One of his parents went to Alabama and the other to Auburn, so rather than choose either school, he went to Georgia Tech,” Powers said. “He was a gentleman and polite. I never saw him when he looked upset with somebody.”

District 2 Commissioner Gerald Barksdale, who served his first term in the mid-1980s under Johnston, remembers him as a chairman who always kept his commissioners informed.

“Sidney was just a class guy,” Barksdale said. “As soon as something would come down that would benefit the county, he’d call the commissioners or send a memo. He always believed in us knowing something as soon as we could. He also believed in making every penny count for the benefit of the people of this county.”

Johnston graduated from Athens High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Athens State College. He also held a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and a master’s degree in industrial management from Georgia Tech. He worked for more than 20 years at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center helping develop the Saturn rocket and Apollo Lunar landing programs. In addition, he worked at Chemstrand, Hayes Aircraft Corp., and finished his aeronautical career at USBI, supporting the space shuttle solid-rocket booster program.

Johnston served on the Athens City Board of Education for 10 years, during which time he was instrumental in building both the Athens High School Little Theatre and the Athens Golden Eagles football stadium, and starting the Athens High wrestling program and JROTC program.

After being elected chairman of the Limestone County Commission in late 1982, he oversaw the consolidation of the county water system, and the Tax Assessor and Tax Collector’s offices, and the computerization of the Limestone County Courthouse. He was a member of First Christian Church, serving as deacon and elder, and he taught youth Sunday school classes for 15 years.

His family said he loved nature and was always looking for a good croquet match on his backyard court. He relished being surrounded by his children and grandchildren, taking much pride in their accomplishments. Having an avid interest in others, he had the ability to engage all, regardless of age.