John Joseph Paul

     John J. Paul, 100 years of age of Hiawatha/Ceder Rapids, IA, formerly of Sandwich and Aurora, IL, passed away Saturday, August 30, 2025.

     He was born March 31, 1925, in Aurora, IL, the son of Bela and Rosa (Horvath) Paul, who migrated from Hungary in 1910 & 1913.

     John joined the Navy during WWII in March 1943 and graduated from East Aurora High School in June 1943. He was in the Pacific Theater stationed on different islands, Iwo Jima, then other bases in Texas and California. He was a cook in the Navy. When the war was over, he stayed in the Navy for several more years. He served on the USS Bourtourt and the USS Seminole. When he got out of the service in 1948, he learned to be a meat cutter and worked for several stores in the Aurora, Plainfield, and Somonauk area. He went into the reserves from August 1950 to November 1951. He retired from meat cutting when he was 82 years old for the final time. When he was 92, he moved in with his daughter to Cedar Rapids, Iowa; where he stayed till another fall landed him in ca care center until his last day on Earth.

     He married Donna Jean Wilkinson on August 16, 1947, in Geneva, IL and they were married for 63 ½ years before Donna passed in 2011.

     He was a member of the V.F.W. in Aurora starting in 1948 and transferred to the Sandwich V.F.W. Post 1486 in 2011. He kept his dues up while living in Iowa.

     John is survived by his daughter, Katherine Luzum of Cedar Rapids, IA; his granddaughter and grandson, Heather and William Byrd of Pearland, TX; his great-grandchildren, Elliott, Nicole, and Sarah Byrd of TX; and his many nieces and nephews.

     He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna, his son, John Jr., his parents, Bela & Rose, his three sisters and spouses, Rose & Louis Silagy, Olga & Clem Rabione, and Caroline & Jim Hayes, his three brothers and spouses, William “Bill,” Earl & Marge (Hunter), and Robert & Louise (Hannoosh).

     Visitation will be held from 10:00 am to 11:00 am on Friday, September 12, 2025, at Turner-Eighner Funeral Home in Plano, with the Rosary being recited at 10:30 a.m. by Father Brian Geary.  Graveside service will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Aurora, IL. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to American Heart Association. For more information or to sign the online guest book, go to www.EighnerFuneralHome.com

     The family would like to thank ALL the amazing staff at the Hiawatha Care Center in Hiawatha, Iowa for the excellent care they gave him in the over 3 ½ years he was in their care.

Turner-Eighner Funeral Home 
3952 Turner Ave. 
Plano, IL 60552 
630-552-3022