Finding the Right Path
“Its just kind of funny being a 54-year-old newly-wed and in college…”
By: Craig Bergquist
Gregor Johnston, a love child originally from Oklahoma and a student at UAS has followed a very different path.
“I just never really fit in anywhere down south, I had friends in St. Louis, Kansas City, Dallas, San Antonio, but I never really wanted to stay.” Johnston said.
Leaving Oklahoma, Johnston moved to Anchorage in 1980 and found a radio job as a police dispatcher. Becoming familiar with the sled dog races, Johnston fell in love with the local culture. Living in Anchorage, Johnston quickly realized that the area was nothing special to him and as he puts it “Went Native.”
After meeting a woman and getting married, Johnston moved to Haines and had three children. “Haines was easily my favorite place to live. Compared to Juneau it has twice the snow, half the rain, and double the sunshine,” Johnston said.
Eventually his wife turned to drugs and alcohol, and they separated. After a difficult divorce, Johnston got custody of the children. “If you are going to smoke or drink or, be responsible, don't let it take over your life.”
After being a single parent for 7 years, Johnston eventually married a woman with two boys of her own. “One of the interesting parts of it was when we went out to the diamond mall or to the movies; we used to get a lot of looks. Three short little Eskimo kids, two good sized boys that are half black, and my wife and I. We were an interesting crew. We called ourselves the Rainbow Brady Bunch.”
Johnston settled down and was the “Papa Bear” of the rainbow Brady Bunch. The kids grew up one by one and went off to college or after girls, and they all moved out. Johnston's second wife was diagnosed with cancer, and passed five years later.
“I was alone in a house that usually had 7 people in it. It got so bad that I could hear my own heart beat.” After grieving, Johnston eventually sold his house. Later he met another woman named Lynn. After moving down to Arizona with her for a year, they got married in December and decided to move back up to Juneau, which is where they live now.
Although Johnston took a different path than most to get there, he is in school again, working on his elementary education degree. “It was my kids were who really pushed me to be an education teacher. They remembered the homework sessions at the table while I cooked for them and when I asked them what I should go to college for, they said be a teacher.”
Although the road has been difficult, Johnston has finally found happiness in Juneau.
“Its just kind of funny being a 54-year-old newly-wed and in college, but it has turned out really well. Whenever I talk to old friends on the phone they always say I seem happy with my wife and new life, they can hear it in my voice. They say that Alaska must be treating me well finally, and I have to agree.”
The Johnston’s celebrate their one year anniversary this December.
