Netta Johnston, a resident of Mercer Island, died peacefully on January 15, 2017 after a short illness. She was 85 years old.

Netta was born on February 24, 1931, in a farmhouse at Craigneich, Scotland, the eldest child of Duncan Macnaughton and Mary Cameron Macnaughton. She was soon joined by 2 younger sisters, Margaret and Mary, and a brother, Donald. Their father was a stationmaster for the railroad and the family moved several times as he was reassigned to posts around Scotland.

Perhaps Netta’s most formative years were spent in the coastal town of Ballachulish, nestled at the foot of historic Glen Coe. Netta commuted by train to high school in Oban and enjoyed the social life of the village on the weekends. There she learned both ballroom and traditional Scottish dancing, activities she enjoyed throughout her life.

After high school, Netta pursued a teaching certificate at St. Andrews University. She was highly rated by her professors and had no difficulty finding a position teaching primary school in Coupar Angus, Perthshire, where her parents had a home. She taught in a mixed age classroom with up to 60 students under her care. She had a special fondness for children from the poorest families, sometimes bringing food to school to insure they did not go hungry.

It was at a country dance that she met George Johnston, a young draftsman’s apprentice, whom she would, eventually, marry. They were wed on April 10, 1957 in Coupar Angus and honeymooned in the Scottish highland town of Inverness. Shortly thereafter the newlyweds joined many of their compatriots, emigrating to Canada in search of opportunity and employment. They landed in Montreal where Netta continued her work as a school teacher, and joined a small community of expatriates for adventures in camping, climbing, skiing and socializing.

The young couple followed George’s employment to California, where their first child was born. Desiring to be closer to family, they returned to Scotland in 1963 but found that economic opportunity remained limited there. They immigrated permanently to the United States in 1966, after the birth of their second son.

The family settled in Santa Barbara, California where Netta enjoyed the mild climate, hikes in the hills and long walks on the beach. A devoted mother, she encouraged her children in school and supported their various interests and activities. Personally traumatized by a near-drowning event in her youth, she worked to ensure that her children could swim, a focus that blossomed into competitive swimming and water polo for both. Netta never returned to teaching in the US, but held positions as a cashier, a book-keeper and an office manager. She was an early adopter and undaunted champion of computer technology in the office.

She was divorced in 1979, an unexpected event that returned her to full-time work and ushered in a period of great personal sadness. She never remarried, but her home was anything but empty. She had a warm and nonjudgmental temperament and could always be counted upon to provide unconditional support and encouragement. She fed, sheltered, mentored and guided a significant number of young people struggling to find their feet. Whatever their circumstances, she could be counted upon to cheer even the smallest of achievements and to help identify the next right step toward independence and success.

Her own love of dancing never diminished. She pursued this hobby through competitive ballroom dancing, A successful competitor, she also used her considerable skills as a seamstress to fashion (sometimes wild) costumes for herself and her friends. She was also able to travel, returning frequently to see family in the UK and enjoying special trips to France, Italy, Korea and South Africa.

In 1999 she retired and moved to the Seattle area to be with her two children and their families. She settled on Mercer Island in 2002 and was an active participant in activities for seniors; a volunteer at Summer Celebration; and reliably on the sidelines or in the audience for her grandchildren’s various activities. Later in life she had a significant visual impairment, but maintained her independence and found new friends as an enthusiastic bus rider and transit proponent. She was also an avid sports fan who could be counted upon to know the latest in professional golf, tennis and auto racing.

Netta is survived by her sons, Brian (Mercer Island) and Bruce (Bainbridge Island), daughters-in-law Julia Bledsoe and Heidi Tarlow Johnston, her grandchildren Sean, Tess, Chandler, Alexa and Hunter, and her sister, Margaret Macnaughton, of Blairgowrie, Scotland. She was preceded in death by her siblings Mary Brown and Donald Macnaughton.

In keeping with her wishes, no immediate service is planned, but a celebration of her life will be held Saturday, April 29 at 3pm at the Mercer Island Community Center. Persons so inclined are invited to make a contribution in her honor to YouthCare, a Seattle-based social services agency for homeless and at-risk young people, and one of her favorite charities.