Paul Miles Johnson

90, of Goose Creek, SC, formerly of Topsfield, MA, and husband of Alyce Cleary Johnson died June 18, 2008 at the Hospice of Charleston in MT. Pleasant, SC. Mr. Johnson was born April 16th, 1918 in Salem, MA, a son of the late Carl Johnson and Ada Hunter Johnson. He was a graduate of Danvers High School and served in the US Army Air Force during WWII. He was a long-standing member of the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts (Budleigh Lodge). During his high school years, Paul had a part time job working with local polo ponies where he met Mr. William D. Taylor who thought he was a hard worker. Mr. Taylor was the owner of the Boston Globe newspaper and offered him an internship at the paper as a stereotyper, which allowed him to be discharged early from Military service. After almost 30 years the division was phased out. The Globe chose to keep their employees on staff and repositioned him into their own security force where he finally retired as a shift supervisor in October 1984. Paul always commented to his family "he had just two bosses his whole career and boy, were they both great!" Mr. Johnson was an avid boater and traveler. His mother said he was born with wheels. He would take his family camping at Cape Cod, MA and up to Sebago Lake, ME every year for two weeks. He spent many hours on the lake towing his children and all their newly acquired friends on water-skis, teaching many first timers. He was so passionate about camping that he talked many of his neighbors into joining him. One year there was as many as 12 families from Topsfield and Boxford, MA camping with him. He and his wife have traveled across the USA and Canada by car, motor home and boat passing through all the Canadian Provinces, the Continental states save Kansas and had even been to Hawaii and Alaska twice. This past April they both spent a month in Myrtle Beach, SC in their motor home visiting long time Camper friends. In his home of 55 years, Topsfield MA, Mr. Johnson was the honorary "mascot" of the local fire department. Every weekday morning he would be down at the fire station for coffee and conversation, often bringing the donuts for all to share. The firemen took his blood pressure everyday and referred to him as "Firehouse Johnson". Mr. and Mrs. Johnson had relocated to Goose Creek, SC in 2004, living next door to their daughter, Lori J. Thurber and son-in-law, Scott D. Thurber, USCG, Ret. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Alyce Cleary Johnson; two daughters, Beth Johnson Phippard of West Swanzey, NH and Lori Johnson Thurber of Goose Creek, SC; four grand daughters, Heather, Krista and Melissa Phippard, NH and Jayme Thurber Biggs, GA; one aunt on his mother's side, Josephine Hunter Spates of Danvers, MA and many cousins residing in Canada. A small memorial service will be held at the Topsfield cemetery at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 23, 2008. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Topsfield Firefighters Relief Fund or the American Cancer Society.