Kevin Johnston died on 6 October 2004 aged 84, after a long period of failing health. He was born in August 1920 in Belfast but moved to Liverpool at the age of 12, where he was educated at St Francis Xavier College. On leaving at the age of 18, he joined HM Customs and Excise. At the outbreak of war he enlisted in the Royal Navy and served in the Pacific and in the Mediterranean; he served on HMS Hecla until it was torpedoed off Cape Town and he was Chief Petty Officer on HMS Manxman, a minesweeper which was the first vessel to break the siege of Malta.

When the war ended Kevin returned to Belfast and entered Queen's University Dental School. This must have been an interesting time in UK dental schools with the blend of boys straight from school and men with years of combat experience. Kevin referred to the students of that period as 'Stoy's Boys'; the very highly respected Professor Philip Stoy having been recently appointed Dean of the Dental School. Kevin played an active part in student life: he was a member of the Students' Representative Council and a member of the British Dental Students Association, in which he served as both regional and national president.

On qualification in 1952 Kevin secured a post as Dental House Officer in the Royal Victoria Hospital. The following year he joined the Colgan practice in Lisburn, where he took over as principal in 1954 and established a reputation as a highly skilled and very caring practitioner. He retired in 1986.

Kevin served the British Dental Association over many years as Branch Council member and as Branch Representative to Headquarters: he was one of the leading local organisers of the National Conference held in Belfast in 1965. He was honoured by his colleagues in his appointment to the highest local office, President of the Northern Ireland Branch of the BDA. For many years he was also the Northern Ireland Benevolent Fund representative. As well as his busy practice life and his many activities on behalf of his colleagues, Kevin somehow found the time to take on the role of prison visitor.

After retirement he eventually moved from Belfast to his summer home in the Glens of Antrim within sight and sound of the sea. Here he could indulge his passion for angling and sailing. For a period he was Commodore of the Cushendall Sailing and Boating Club. Unfortunately ill-health forced him to restrict his activities and in time he became completely housebound. He bore his protracted illness with great fortitude and was sustained to the end by his life-long faith and the loving care of his family.

We will smile when we think of him.

Kevin's colleagues will remember with appreciation his dedicated service to his profession and they will also remember his ready sense of humour. We will smile when we think of him.

To his widow Eileen, his children Fiona, Henry, Emer, Ciara, Niall and Sian, their spouses, his eight grandchildren, and his brothers Eamon and Bill — a member of the Jesuit order in Japan, we extend our deepest sympathy. May he rest in peace.

Death notice

The late John Gray Houston was President of the West of Scotland Branch in 1973-74. He was Consultant Orthodontist at Glasgow Dental Hospital and School from 1963 to 1985 and played a significant part in the development of orthodontic services in the west of Scotland.