Paula Anne Johnson

Paula Anne Talbert Johnson, 82, of Falls Church, Virginia, passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 2nd, 2021. Paula was born in Mobile, Alabama on April 3rd, 1938. She was the only child of William Broadus Talbert and Estelle Fleming Watts Talbert. When Paula was in elementary school, her family moved to Panama City, Florida. She attended Bay County High School where, in 1954, she met Hugh Paul Johnson (known by Paul to friends and family). It was not until 1956 that their romance blossomed, and they were wed June 21st, 1958 upon Paul’s graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

Paula put her studies on hold to start her family, but her passion for learning and education spurred her to resume them as soon as she could. She would ultimately earn a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies from Ladycliff College in New York, a master's degree in Guidance and Counseling from Boston University, and a doctorate in Educational Administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Her dream of teaching became a reality with her first teaching position in 1968 at Vicksburg High School in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Other teaching positions followed in Belton, Texas; Stuttgart, Germany; Hayfield High School and Edison High School, both in Alexandria, Virginia. Determined to make a broader impact on students, Paula sought positions in school administration. Her first such position was as an administrative aide at Groveton High School from 1983 to 1984. From there she went on to become assistant principal of Mount Vernon High School from 1984 to 1986. From 1986 to 1987 she was the coordinator of instructional services for Area I of Fairfax County Public Schools. Paula returned to Mount Vernon High School in 1988 as the first female principal in that school’s history. She held that position until September of 1991 when she resigned to take the position of executive assistant to the deputy superintendent. Paula would go on to become the superintendent of Area II in 1993 and retire from that position in 1998. Not one to put her feet up for long, she became the director of instruction for Fairfax City Schools, while also working in the Department of Education at George Mason University. Paula would hold those positions until she retired for a second time in 2003.

As a teacher, an administrator, and a friend, Paula was always about making connections: the passion with which she taught her classes, engaged with her students, and created meaningful learning environments for them; how she valued personal connections by mentoring and inspiring innumerable students and fellow educators to dream and succeed; and her generosity with her time and talents to her friends and her church. Paula was a lifelong learner, always pursuing her love of travel. At the age of 76, she visited Antarctica, the last of the seven continents she vowed to see. What truly characterized Paula, however, was her love of and commitment to family. Family was everything to her. She and Paul made it a priority to ensure their children not only had a loving home filled with wonderful experiences, but also stayed close and came together regularly as adults. These regular reunions reinforced that exceptionally close bond forged by the example of their 50+ years of love and devotion to one another.

Preceded in death by her beloved husband Paul, Paula is survived by her daughter Melissa McDonell and her husband Michael; her son Paul Johnson and his wife Jennifer; her son Jay Johnson and his wife Dawn; and her daughter Aimee Froling and her husband Gary. She is survived by her grandchildren (in order of age) John McDonell, Susanne McDonell Millar, Eleanor Johnson, Kelly Johnson Wilson, Chris Froling, Michelle Johnson Hamo, Travis Johnson, Caitlin Johnson Underwood, Gabriel Johnson, Megan McDonell, Glenn McDonell, Petros Johnson, Lulit Johnson, Ethan Johnson, Ian Froling, Pierre Johnson, Connor Froling and Ched Johnson, in addition to seven great grandchildren. She is also survived by her cousins George Watts and Miriam Novak.

A graveside service will be held at 2pm on Monday, August 22, 2022 at Arlington National Cemetery.

A celebration of Paula's life will be held on Sunday, August 21, 2022, time to be determined. If you would like to be included on the invitation for Paula’s Celebration of Life, please send an email to her daughter, Aimee Froling, at [email protected].