Dr Margaret (Peggy) Manson Johnston (née Mouat), 1928–2024

Dr Peggy Johnston passed away peacefully in Vancouver, in her 96th year, surrounded by the love of her family and the devoted care of her caregivers. Her life was defined by intellectual achievement, professional leadership, and deep connections to her family and island roots.

Born in Ganges on Saltspring Island, Peggy was the youngest of six children in the Mouat family. Her parents operated Mouat’s Trading Company and Mouat Brothers Store, institutions of island life. When her father began using a wheelchair due to polio, 12-year-old Peggy was granted a special driver’s licence to chauffeur him across the island—a formative expression of her responsibility and resolve.

Peggy excelled academically, completing high school at age 16, earning a bachelor of science degree from the University of British Columbia in 1948, and graduating from McGill University in 1952—one of only six women in her medical school class. She maintained a strong connection to her roots, returning each summer to work in the family store.

At McGill, she met her future husband, Dr Albert (Al) Johnston. Following internships in Montreal and Vancouver, they trained at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit—Peggy in dermatology, Al in ophthalmology—and began their family.

In 1959, they returned to BC. Peggy became Nanaimo’s first practising dermatologist before the couple settled in Vancouver, where they shared an office for over 30 years. She was the first practising female dermatologist in Vancouver and the first pediatric dermatologist at UBC, and she served as head of dermatology at BC Children’s Hospital. A devoted clinician and passionate educator, Peggy was a clinical professor who mentored generations of students and residents with wisdom and warmth.

Peggy and Al balanced their demanding careers with family life, raising four children and instilling in them a love of learning, nature, and community. Their shared joy was the Saltspring Island cottage, a family retreat that remained central to their lives. There, Peggy found great enjoyment in gardening, fishing, and welcoming the next generation—her beloved grandchildren.

After retiring in 1989, they returned to the island full-time. Peggy carried forward a legacy of quiet generosity, community involvement, and enduring family bonds. She and Al shared 61 years of marriage before his passing in 2013.

Peggy is survived by her children, Kathy, Jim (Barb Melosky), Bill (Diane Ross), and Tom (Deanne Lawder), and her grandchildren, Alexander, Robert, James, and Daniel. She was predeceased by her husband, Al; her parents; and her five siblings.

Dr Peggy Johnston will be remembered for her pioneering contributions to medicine, her devotion to family and community, and her deep affection for the island that shaped her.
—William H. Johnston, MD
Lantzville

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