RIPLEY — A town judge will be permanently remembered.

At a recent meeting, Ripley Town Board members unanimously approved a resolution to purchase a plaque which will designate the courtroom in the Ripley Town Hall as the Honorable Donald T. Johnston Courtroom.

The resolution was drafted in response to a request by Ripley Justice Vera Hustead, who submitted a letter asking that the courtroom be officially dedicated to Judge Johnston in a public ceremony to be held on Law Day, which was held on May 1.

Johnston passed away on Feb. 21, 2008, at the age of 82. He had served in World War II in the Pacific theater with the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945. Johnston is known to have given more than 65 years of service to the town of Ripley. Johnson was also a retired Ripley Water and Sewer superintendent, a member of the Ripley United Methodist Church and was named Ripley Citizen of the Year in 1998.

“Judge Johnston spent his adult life in service to our community,” Hustead wrote in her letter. “He gave of his time in quiet dedication to the youngest of us and to the oldest of us. He wore many hats in the Town of Ripley. I knew him as a strong advocate for the police and later as a leader in his ability to uphold the laws of the State of New York.”

Ripley Supervisor Doug Bowen said he had good memories of Johnston.

“I think this is a very honorable thing to do,” he said. “He was a good man and this is very well deserved.”