Paula Jennings Johnson, 1942-2015
Paula Marcellus (Jennings) Johnson, 72, of Kansas City, Mo., and La Jolla, Calif., died January 27, 2015 in La Jolla, a five year survivor of breast cancer. Paula was born Nov. 3, 1942, in Wichita, Kan., to Foster and Janet Jennings. She was a fourth generation Kansan, granddaughter of Marcellus Murdock, owner/editor of the Wichita Eagle, and great- granddaughter of Colonel Marshall Murdock, the newspaper founder.
Paula was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma at KSU and graduated from UC San Francisco in 1965 where she met her husband of 45 years, Dick. She had an early career as a dental hygienist and raised four children in Kansas City, where she and Dick made their home. Paula was devoted to the Kansas City community serving on the boards of the American Red Cross, Pembroke Hill School, and Children’s TLC. She was a member of the DAR, Colonial Dames, and the Junior League.
She had a passion for art history and earned her MFA from Baker University. She trained as a docent at the National Museum of Art in Washington D.C. and enjoyed years as a docent at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. She was an avid bridge player, a Life Master in the A
merican Contract Bridge League. She loved to travel, especially with the Society of Fellows at the Nelson. She played bridge and golf as a member of the Kansas City Country Club and was a longtime member of the Carriage Club.
In the last 20 years, Paula and Dick built a community of friends in La Jolla. She was a loving grandmother to nine grandchildren baking cookies, reading books and playing bingo with them. She was loved by so many friends.
She was predeceased by her parents, her brother, Richard and her son, Brodie. She is survived by her husband, Dick, her daughters, Janet Bijur (Nicholas) of San Francisco and Julie McVeigh (Patrick) of Boston, her son, J.R. (Xan) of Bellingham, Wash., nine grandchildren and her brother, John of Denver. A memorial service will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kan.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the institutions she supported and appreciated, KU Cancer Center, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, or Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita.
Most importantly, Paula would want you to remember to call your mother.
Editor’s Note: Paula attended East with our class for at least a year and attend several reunions. She contributed photos to the archive on our Gallery page. The black and white photo above is from the 1958 yearbook.
