 Gwinavere Johnston |
Gwinavere Johnston, who founded her Denver PR firm in 1975, died Nov. 1 by taking advantage of Colorado’s medical-aid-in-dying law after struggling with her diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy, according to her family-written obituary.
The Wyoming native launched the Johnson Group, which evolved into JohnstonWells with blue-chip clients such as US West, Coors, Qwest and Wells Fargo.
The Denver Post (Nov. 6) called Johnston a “trailblazer,” who made a name for herself in the business world after moving to The Centennial State.
The obit remembers Johnston a bit more colorfully: “In her beginnings, she was a renegade in a male-dominated industry, which earned her endearing nicknames too inappropriate to print.”
She served as president of IPREX North America, president of PRSA Counselor’s Academy, head of PRSA/Colorado and a long-time Silver Anvil judge.
A celebration of Johnston’s life is slated for Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. at Quebec Place at Fairmount Cemetery at 430 S. Quebec St. in Denver. A reception will follow.
The family asks for donatations in Johnston’s name should be sent to Mile High United Way at bit.ly/ForGwin or the University of Wyoming at http://www.uwyo.edu/uwpresents/
Hugh Braithwaite, founder of Braithwaite Communications in Philadelphia, died Feb. 28. He was 63.
Alfred Horowitz, who was a PR counselor, educator, businessman and philanthropist, died February 14 of natural causes. He was 93.
Ginger Reeder, the former VP-corporate communications at Neiman Marcus, died Jan. 9. She was 64.
José Antonio Llorente, founding partner and executive chairman of Spain’s LLYC, died from cancer on Jan. 1. He was
Bob Dorf, who founded his own firm and then ran Dorf & Stanton with Alex Stanton, died Dec. 2. He was 74.
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