Rev. Paulis “Paul” Ervin Johnson Sr. of Roanoke went home to be with the Lord on Friday, Jan. 30, 2022. He was 95, born December 29, 1927, in Baltimore, MD to the now late John A. and Elva B. Johnson, the second oldest of 14 children. Though born in Baltimore, Rev. Johnson would spend his formative years in Farmville, VA where he grew up on a tobacco farm.
He would later move to Roanoke where he met the now-late Roberta Cooper while they both worked at Hotel Roanoke. The two would later marry in August 1948 and from this union, they would be blessed with one daughter and three sons.
Pastor Johnson spent 22 years working for the United State Postal Service beginning in 1966 until his retirement in 1988. After years of faithful service as a Sunday School teacher and deacon at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, he was called to the ministry at Rising Zion Baptist Church in Gala, VA, and at Chestnut Grove Baptist Church in Bedford, VA. From there he was called to the First Missionary Baptist Church in New River, VA, and Wake Forest Baptist Church in Blacksburg, VA, then answered the call to move one more time in 1979 when he became the first pastor of Williams Memorial Baptist Church where he served until his retirement in 2009.
In his downtime, Rev. Johnson could be found at home on his farm with his family raising livestock and various crops for much of his later years, and could be found in his backyard or down in the field tending to his prize-winning chrysanthemums. His first wife Roberta Cooper Johnson, his second wife Margaret Eanes Reed-Johnson, and his son Frank Scott preceded him in death.
Those left to cherish his memory include his daughter, Paula Thomas; two sons, Paulis (Zipora) and Les (Lynn); his siblings, Homer (Marian) Johnson of Oxen Hills, MD, Lydia (Dwight) Reynolds, and Robert (Louise) Johnson of Roanoke; four grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren, several stepchildren, and other relatives and friends.
His funeral service was held Friday, Feb. 3, at Williams Memorial Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. David Jones officiating and delivering the eulogy. Interment followed in Old Dominion Memorial Gardens with professional services entrusted to Serenity Funeral Home.
