Paula M. Johnson

Paula (McCarthy) Johnson, of East Dennis and Westwood, Massachusetts, died peacefully, at home, with her family, in East Dennis, Massachusetts, on June 9, 2013 - two days after her 44th wedding anniversary. Paula was the devoted and beloved wife of Bradford H. Johnson, the devote mother of Alexander P. Johnson, of East Dennis, and Kristina Johnson of Virginia and grandmother of cherished, Adric, of Woodbridge, Virginia.

A Bostonian, at heart, Paula and her family lived abroad for many years, in St. Petersburg (U.S.S.R.) and Moscow, Russia; Bogota, Colombia; Bilbao and Madrid, Spain; Vancouver, Canada; and Mexico City, Mexico while her husband, Bradford, served as a Foreign Service Officer in many posts around the globe.

At Paula’s initiative the U.S. State Department collaborated with the Anglo-American School of Moscow to open a branch school in Leningrad in 1991. Paula served as this school’s first and only teacher during that first year. Today, the Anglo-American School of St. Petersburg, as the school is now known, has over 140 students and serves 27 nationalities.

Paula’s life was marked by a love of family, language, books, and her dogs. Born July 17, 1946, in South Boston, Massachusetts, graduated from Gate of Heaven School, received a B.A. in history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a MEd from Boston State College, and a Masters in Library Science from Simmons College. She taught in the Boston Public Schools for 22 years. Paula was an active and devoted member of the Cape Cod Covenant Church, where she served as a commissioned Stephen Minister for several years.

Paula was the eldest daughter of the late Richard and Catherine McCarthy, of South Boston, and later West Roxbury, Massachusetts. Paula will be dearly missed by her two sisters, Dr. Dorothy (Bonnie) Curran, and her husband Superior Court Judge Dennis J. Curran, both of Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, and Jayne (Arris) Bennett and her husband Al Bennett, both of Norwell, Massachusetts; as well as her cherished nieces and nephews: Tracy H. Johnson, Charles E. Arris, Rachel A. Braman (Johnson), and Evan K. Johnson, all of Massachusetts, and John T. Curran of Jakarta, Indonesia, Michael A. Curran of California, Richard E. Arris of Colorado, and Matthew A. Johnson of Brooklyn, New York, and her grand-niece, Evelyn K. Braman of Needham, Massachusetts. Paula is also survived by her brother in law, Donald E. Johnson of Holden, Massachusetts and his wife Donna and her sister in law, Arlene Johnson of Fairfield, Connecticut.

Funeral arrangements are being made through Doane Beal & Ames Funeral Home, 729 Rte. 134, South Dennis, Massachusetts. Calling hours are scheduled for Thursday, June 13, 2013, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Her funeral service will be held at the Cape Cod Covenant Church, 11 Satucket Rd., Brewster on Friday, June 14, at 11:00 a.m. Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to The Brothers Fabian and Ned Lonergan Fund, c/o Catholic Memorial School, Baker Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132.