Paul Michael Johnson

Paul Michael Johnson, known to many as Mike or Uncle Mike, passed away on March 10, 2026, at the age of 87 in Lexington, KY. Born on January 24, 1939, in Wilmington, OH, Mike lived a life defined by service, curiosity, and a genuine love for the people around him.

Mike graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1958 and enlisted in the US Army that same year, serving his country honorably until his discharge in 1961. On June 20, 1966, he married the love of his life, Priscilla Jane Johnson, in Sparta, NC. He went on to build a long and dedicated career as a salesman for Rotary Forms Press in Hillsboro, OH, where he held many positions over 45 years and earned the respect of colleagues and clients alike.

Those who knew Mike knew a man of quick wit, deep compassion, and tireless devotion to his community. He served in nearly every capacity within every organization he joined, and there were many: First United Methodist Church, Boy Scout Troops 226 and 171, the Hillsboro Jaycees, the Hillsboro Lions Club, the Hillsboro Leo Club, the Bike-A-Thon for Cancer, 4-H, and as an aide to the Hillsboro High School Marching Band. He didn't just show up; he gave everything he had and made lifelong friends everywhere he went.

Mike always had an artist's eye. He longed to be a designer or graphic artist, and that creative spirit found its way into everything he touched. His camera never left his side, capturing every moment as if it were the last. He built models, launched rockets, rode bicycles, and devoured science fiction novels and movies with an enthusiasm that never dimmed.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Frank “Scooch” and Laurel Virginia Johnson; his beloved wife, Priscilla Jane Johnson; his sons, Carl Christopher Johnson and William Edwin Johnson; his sister, Karen "Suzie" Ferrell; and his nephew, Mark Ferrell. He is survived by his son, Robert "Bob" Johnson and his wife Amy; his brother, Frank "Johnny" Johnson and his wife Donna; his sister, Anita "Ginnie" Graff and her husband John; his nephews, Brian Ferrell, Steve Ferrell, Jim Ferrell, Keith Graff, and Kevin Graff; and his nieces, Kelly Boswell, Kim Wightman, Stephanie Woodruff, and Ginnie Pittman.

A celebration of life will be held at Hillsboro Global Methodist Church, with the date to be determined. May Mike find peace in the arms of the Lord he faithfully served. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Kennedy Ladd Foundation, which helps families with Hurler’s Syndrome or MPS1 which Chris and Billy were born with. Donations can be made at https://givebutter.com/curemps1

Mike was fascinated by the unknown, unexplored vastness of the universe. As Arthur C. Clarke once wrote, "The fact that we have not yet found the slightest evidence for life, much less intelligence, beyond this Earth does not surprise or disappoint me in the least. Our technology must still be laughably primitive; we may as well be like jungle savages listening for the throbbing of tom-toms, while the ether around them carries more words per second than they could utter in a lifetime." Mike would have loved knowing that the adventure is only just beginning.