Obituary of Paul R. Johnson

Paul Raymond Johnson, 90, of 504 Chautauqua Avenue, Jamestown, NY, died Friday morning, September 15, 2017, in his home. A Jamestown resident most of his life, he was born October 29, 1926 in Jamestown, NY, the second of eight children of the late Axel Hjalmar Johnson and Anna Sophia Johnson née Johnson of 148 Dearing Avenue, both of whom immigrated to the United States from Östra Fågelvik Parish, Värmland, Sweden in 1916 and 1921, respectively. Paul was baptized and confirmed (Class of 1940) at the Swedish Zion Mission Church (now known as Zion Covenant Church), Jamestown. He attended school at East Jamestown and Falconer Street Schools, Washington Junior High School, and Jamestown High School. A patriot, who loved his country, Paul deferred his graduation from Jamestown High School to enlist in the U.S. Navy at age 17 in October of his senior year. Upon completion of basic training in Sampson, NY and pre-commissioning training in Newport, RI, Paul transferred to the USS St. Paul (CA-73), a new Baltimore-class cruiser, prior to its commissioning in Boston, MA, on February 15, 1945. After its deployment to the Pacific theater of WWII, the USS St. Paul served as a unit of Task Force 38 (Third Fleet) during air strikes on the main island of Japan, and shore bombardments of the Hamamatsu and Kamaishi Areas in July and August. At the conclusion of the August 9 bombardment of Kamaishi, the cease-fire order against Japan caught the USS St. Paul with loaded guns. Granted time to fire the last three shots of a final nine-gun salvo, the USS St. Paul acquired the unique distinction of having fired the last official shots of the War. On September 1, 1945, the USS St. Paul entered Tokyo Bay and was there during the formal Japanese surrender ceremony the next day. Following occupation duty in Japanese waters and navigation duty on the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China, the USS St. Paul completed a trans-Pacific crossing at the Naval Shipyard, Terminal Island, CA from where Paul traveled by train to Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago to receive his honorable discharge from the Navy on June 21, 1946. Returning home to Jamestown, Paul completed his senior year of high school at JHS, and enrolled under the G.I. Bill in the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where he studied electrical engineering and electronics. Paul subsequently entered the family construction firm, A.H. Johnson & Sons, and upon the retirement of their father in 1964, Paul and his brother, Ralph, re-organized the firm as a partnership under the name, Johnson & Johnson Builders. By the time Paul retired in 1992, the firm had earned a reputation for quality, primarily residential, construction that included projects in Chautauqua Institution such as the President's House, new houses and extensive renovations of existing houses on the North Shore and elsewhere throughout the Institution, as well as comparable projects around Lake Chautauqua and elsewhere in the South County. In retirement, Paul used his considerable talents as a highly skilled woodworker, cabinet maker, and craftsman on projects in and around the homes of his children and on various projects for family and friends. On a visit to the Dala Horse factory in Nusnäs, Dalarna, Sweden, Paul purchased a set of woodcarving tools after which he hand carved many Dala horses and other figures (subsequently paint-decorated by his wife) that already have acquired heirloom status within the family. Paul looked forward each week to meeting friends on specified days at certain local restaurants for conversation over a cup of coffee. And, he helped each year with his wife's Waite Family Reunion to which she looked forward and helped to organize. On June 16, 1951, Paul married Sylvia Rae Meacham of Cattaraugus, NY, in the downtown Jamestown First M.E. Church (The Rev. Dr. Harold A. McCurdy officiating). An active member of First Methodist (now known as Christ First United Methodist Church) during all but the last two or three of the past 66 years, Paul sang as a tenor in the chancel choir for 57 years, served on the Board of Trustees and on various church committees, and willingly volunteered his time and talent as a skilled carpenter and wood craftsman to complete projects around the church whenever needed. Paul and his wife, Sylvia, for many years enjoyed square dancing and round dancing and the many friends they made through their membership in the Jamestown-area Chau-Tau Squares and clubs in Warren, Corry, and Erie, PA. Dancing afforded Paul and Sylvia numerous opportunities for travel, both at home and abroad. Among Paul's other memberships and community involvements were the USS Saint Paul Association, the American Scandinavian Heritage Foundation, Inc., and the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club, as well as former membership in the Town of Poland Senior Citizens and Viking Ingjald Lodge No. 65 IOV, Jamestown. In earlier years, Paul was an avid bowler and enjoyed his membership on a team in the Teachers' Bowling League, through which he made many long-lasting friendships. An accomplished ice skater, Paul taught his children how to skate at an early age, and, to this day, they treasure memories of skating with him on winter evenings at the Allen Park outdoor skating rink and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on Chautauqua Lake, as well as tobogganing and snowmobiling when they were older. Other memories treasured not only by his children, but also by his grandsons, include family vacations in Maine and in Sweden. Paul is survived by a son, Paul R. Johnson, Esq. of Jamestown; a daughter, Shirley A. (Steven L.) Landy of Jamestown, who was his caregiver during the last three months of his life; two grandsons, Steven P. (Martha L.) Landy of Stafford Springs, CT, and Dr. Brooks P. Landy of Wellfleet, MA; two brothers, Ralph U. (Carolyn) Johnson and Marvin L. Johnson, both of Jamestown; three sisters, Marilyn A. (Dan) Osman of Alpharetta, GA, Anna Marie (Jim) Kelly of Centralia, MO, and Sandra Jean (Jim) Tidquist of Jamestown; 20 nieces and nephews; many great, and great great nieces and nephews; and three cousins, Robert E. (Shirley) Johnson of Boardman, OH, Bernt Eskeby of Stockholm, Sweden, and Mark (Barbara) Johnson of Scandia, PA. Besides his parents (April 18, 1976 and September 20, 1945, respectively), Paul was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Sylvia Meacham Johnson, who died February 2, 2015; his step-mother, Mabel Nelson Anderson Johnson of Riverside, CA (March 26, 1990); a sister, Sonya Joan VanEpps of Geneva, FL (June 29, 2014); a brother, A. Donald Johnson of Jamestown (March 12, 2015); a step sister; step-brothers; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins in the United States and Sweden. Paul will be remembered not only for his love of family and friends, generosity, honesty, integrity, steadfastness, and perfectionism in anything he undertook to do, but most importantly, for his unwavering Christian faith and his willingness to help others as he was able. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, an adoring grandfather, and a loyal friend. The funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 23, 2017, at Christ First United Methodist Church, 663 Lakeview Avenue, Jamestown, NY. The Rev. Matthew Rowe, Pastor, will officiate. Immediately following the service, members of the family will receive friends in Darrah Hall of the church. A private inurnment with full military honors for the immediate family will be in the Lake View Cemetery, Jamestown, The Rev. Luke F. Fodor, Rector, St. Luke's Episcopal Church, officiant. Memorials may be made to Christ First United Methodist Church, 663 Lakeview Avenue, Jamestown, NY 14701. You may leave a condolence for the family at www.lindfuneralhome.com.