Paula K. Johnson of Southold died March 20, 2026. She was 96 years old.
Born in Indiana in 1930, she was taken back to Germany by her immigrant parents at 3 months old and grew up in Germany, surviving air raids during World War II, including the bombing of her home in Dortmund near the end of the war. She returned to the United States at 17 and suffered several bouts of tuberculosis; she was cared for by German American nuns in Hoboken whom she had met in Germany. She later made her home in New York City, where she met Karl Paul Johnson at the Lorelei, a dance venue in Yorkville on Manhattan’s East Side, and they married after a whirlwind courtship. Together, they raised four children in Bethpage — Karl (Abbe), Kevin, Karin and Kristina (Greg) — while she also worked in the payroll and HR departments of Nassau County Medical Center. After retiring in 1991, she and her husband moved to Cutchogue, where they were involved with the Peconic Seniors Club and enjoyed biking, kayaking and walking. She spent her final years as a widow in Southold. Her family said she was known for her kindness and for welcoming others into her home.
She was predeceased by her husband, Karl Paul Johnson, in 2004 and her son, Kevin. She is survived by her children, Karl (Abbe), Kris (Greg) and Karin; her brother, Heinz; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home in Southold. Funeral services will be held at 6 p.m., officiated by Pastor Garrett Johnson. A private interment will take place Friday at Calverton National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to East End Hospice Kanas Center.
