Obituaries

Howard M. Messner Federal Administrator

Howard M. Messner, 71, who served as chairman of the Environmental Protection Agency task force in the late 1960s that led to the creation of the agency in 1971, died Dec. 4 at his home in Gambrills. He had esophageal cancer.

Mr. Messner began his 37-year federal career as deputy administrator of administration for the EPA from 1971 until 1975. He was then appointed assistant administrator of the agency from 1983 to 1987.

Howard Myron Messner was born in Newark. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1960 and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Massachusetts in 1962.

He then moved to the Washington region to work as an assistant to NASA administrator James E. Webb until 1965. Before his appointments at the EPA, Mr. Messner was a management analyst at the Office of Management and Budget from 1965 to 1971 and assistant director for management improvement and evaluation at OMB from 1977 to 1983.

Between his jobs at OMB, he was assistant director for management programs for the Congressional Budget Office.

He later was a controller at the Energy Department before moving back to the EPA in 1983. After he retired from the federal government in 1987, he was executive vice president of what is now the American Council of Engineering Companies until 1999.

In 1971, Mr. Messner received the William Jump Award for distinguished service in public administration and in 1986 was awarded the "Presidential Distinguished Executive Rank" by President Ronald Reagan.

In 2003 and 2006 he was president of the National Academy of Public Administration. He received the academy's George Graham Award for exceptional service this fall.

He was also a board member of Kelly-Anderson and Associates Inc. from 2005 until his death.

His marriage to Aletha Messner ended in divorce.

Survivors include his wife of 22 years, Melba Meador of Gambrills; three children from his first marriage, Jenny Fiero of Tucson, Linda Lemerande of Jefferson City, Mo., and David Messner of Honeoye Falls, N.Y.; two sisters; and eight grandchildren.

-- Lauren Wiseman

Lynn Elmer Johnston Agricultural Economist

Lynn Elmer Johnston, 83, a retired agricultural economist at the Central Intelligence Agency, died Nov. 21 at Renaissance Gardens retirement facility in Springfield. He had lung cancer and a stroke.

Mr. Johnston spent his entire career at the CIA, from 1949 to 1980. He received several awards from the agency for career achievement. After his retirement, he occasionally consulted for the CIA, including compiling economic research for the publication "World Factbook."

Mr. Johnston was born in Hagerstown, Md., and served in the Army Air Forces during World War II. He graduated from the University of Maryland in 1949.

He lived in McLean from 1956 to 1989 and later moved to Locust Grove. He was chairman of the board of trustees of Lewinsville Presbyterian Church in McLean and was a member of the administration committee. While maintaining his membership at Lewinsville, he became a member of Lake of the Woods Church, a nondenominational church in Locust Grove.

Mr. Johnston was active in neighborhood citizens associations throughout his life. He enjoyed golf, bowling and boating.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Alice Johnston of Springfield; two children, Cindy Meranda of Nebo, N.C., and Ed Johnston of Leesburg; and three grandchildren.

-- Matt Schudel