By Baptist Message staff
MCLEAN, Va. (LBM) – J. Bennett Johnston, a U.S. senator who represented Louisiana for 24 years and a longtime member of First Baptist Church, Shreveport, died at a hospital in McLean, Virginia, March 25, from complications related to COVID-19. He was 92.
Johnston served as a state representative and senator for eight years combined and U.S. senator for another 24 years. According to his obituary, Johnston was a “conservative Democrat known for working across the aisle, sometimes voting with Republicans when he thought it would serve his state. Johnston helped drive the creation of Interstate 49, brought money into the state to help protect wetlands (including helping establish two national parks and seven wildlife refuges), and in 1990, made national headlines when he defeated Ku Klux Klansman David Duke in that year’s Senate race.”
According to Lauren Ostendorff, a church secretary and long-time member of FBCS, Johnston joined the church in 1943 and was still a non-resident member when he died. He remained active in the church while practicing law in Shreveport and preparing to enter his first term as a U.S. senator. He served the congregation as a member of the board of directors, as did his father, J. Bennett Johnston, Sr., before him.
“One church member fondly remembers looking out from the choir loft and seeing Sen. Johnston in the fifth row and Van Cliburn, the famous pianist, in the back row,” Ostendorff said. “This was apparently a common occurrence.
“One more thing I personally remember about him, in 1995 he attended church for the 150th anniversary celebration of First Baptist and brought Vice President Dan Quayle and his wife Marilyn as guests.”
Sen. John Kennedy released a statement on Johnston’s death.
“Senator J. Bennett Johnston was a Louisiana champion and a champion for Louisiana. He played big but spoke softly. Composure was his superpower. Bennett loved Louisiana, loved America and loved his family. He was a great senator. Louisiana weeps.
“Becky and I send our condolences to the Johnston family and our everlasting thanks to Bennett.”
