Paul Hawthorne Johnson

On October 8, 2021 God led Paul Hawthorne Johnson to his Eternal Home.

If you can't tell by looking at my face, I am Paul's oldest daughter, Rebekah. You could say my Dad lived several lives – some quietly, and others more *out loud*

If you have seen him in the last few years, then you already know he grew up on a farm here in Panama City, with his family. He LOVED his family and the farm animals very much.

He also loved being active. He hunted, he fished with his Uncle Buddy, and learned to fly an airplane. In high school he played football and ultimately received a football scholarship to FSU.

After his father died suddenly, Dad left his studies in Law at Florida State to take care of his mom and help run Johnson Bros. Meats, the family business. He ended up running the business with his brother, David.

It made me sad to think that he regretted leaving his career track, but this also put him on a NEW track to meet my wonderful mom. And how could you regret that?!

From those early years and into his last moments, he held Mom's hand. Wherever they walked, he put her on the safer, protected side. He charmed her with his humor and his intellect. (Last week I told him that I got my smart genes from him – he said "remind your mom about that")

In that newly married lifetime, he did church mission work in prisons sharing God's love. He also led small groups and singing at church.He was always recruiting for God's family. Mrs. Auburn tells the story how he invited her to church when shopping at her stained glass store.

Next, us kids came along! These times with him were quieter, but they were full of him telling us he loved us. His primary focus has always been to keep us protected, provide for us, and encourage us. And that he did!

He kept us safe by walking us out to cars, locking our doors, making sure we buckled up, and calling us to make sure we made it safely to our destination.

His Dad humor kept us entertained. One birthday we got him a pair of underwear with golfers on it. Without a beat he says they were for if he got a hole in one. Every year we had the FL CAT test he would quiz us on the way to school – which is the correct answer: tabby or calico.

Our needs were always met – sports, activities, SAFE vehicles to drive, and surprise tech gifts at Christmas. He wanted us to be exposed to whatever the new computer/nintendo/tech thing was.

He continued his active lifestyle with a myriad of exercises and dedication to nutrition. Spin class competitions, stairclimbing competitions, golf tournaments, individual golfing, hitting golf balls in the field, building and repairing golf clubs for people- everything golf. He made his own yogurt, made his own mushroom tea which may have been the early kombucha?? All I know is there were large jugs with a slimy blob on top of it in the refrigerator. And of course he ate a ton of vegetables and vitamins.

He taught us to love and care for everyone. As adults we learned how he loved & cared for so many people and families over the years.

He was kind to his employees, respected them, and cared about their families.

There was only ever one person we heard him speak ill of – the Sham-Wow guy! He abruptly said one day that someone should sneak up behind that guy and hit him with a golf club! (This was BEFORE his accident!) Shortly after that, the Sham-Wow guy died – and we have our own suspicions.

Dad repeatedly told us kids that we were smart and could be ANYTHING we wanted to be! If you know us, you know we believe it! He also told us to go to school to be a plastic surgeon or nurse anesthetist. And well only one of us did that. Carter & I still found things we like and excel at! Bonus points to Laura I guess!

In 2012 we got to know "New Dad". He was much more talkative, same amount of stubbornness, and still focused on protecting, providing, and encouraging. We talked more in these last 9 years than we ever had before. He regaled ALL with his stories about his family, his life growing up, and MUCH MUCH more. He left his family with many hilarious moments. Even after the accident, he continued to call me on my birthday and tell me the story of how he held me in the hospital when I was born.

We are so thankful for all the time we had with Dad.

We are also thankful for the love we got to witness between my mom & dad. Not perfect, but deeply real and eternally beautiful. They were married 42 years!

Thank you for honoring my Dad with us. A very special thank you to Covenant Hospice Nurse Maggie & Cliff, Aunt Lottie and Uncle David. You cared and supported our family through our most difficult time.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine Carter Johnson; three children, Rebekah Elaine Johnson Taylor (Nathaniel), Laura Mary Johnson Estes (Dr. Forrest), Carter Paul Hawthorne Johnson; two granddaughters, June Carter Estes, Joy Forrest Estes; three siblings, John Johnson (Leah), David Johnson (Ellen), Mary Tucker (Dean). Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 11, 2021 at 3 pm in the Wilson Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday from 2-3 pm prior to the service. In lieu of flowers the family asks for memorial donations to be made to Covenant Hospice in memory of Paul Johnson.