Lifelong resident, 45-year member of Fire Department

Paul ("PJ") Johnston. (Courtesy photo)

Paul V. Johnston, 81, of Old Mill Road, died at his home Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, after a long illness. Paul was born in Boston, June 18, 1928, a son of Andrew J. and Helen M. (Tuohey) Johnston and was a lifelong resident of Harvard.

After graduating from the Bromfield School in 1948, Paul served his country in the United States Army during the Korean conflict, attaining the rank of corporal, and upon his return, joined the Harvard Highway Department. In 1961 he went to work as a custodian for the Harvard Public Schools. During the next three decades he held several positions within the system until he retired in 1990 as the facilities manager for the Harvard Public Schools.

For more than 50 years Paul, better known as “PJ,” served the town of Harvard and its residents, as well as the residents of surrounding towns, in many facets of community service. He was a longtime member of the Ayer-Harvard-Shirley Rotary Club, once serving as president, and was named a Paul Harris Fellow in 1990. He was a member and past commander of the American Legion Post, Veterans Memorial Committee, and assumed the responsibility of the daily raising of the flag on the town Common. He assisted in the decoration of veterans’ graves for Memorial Day and served on the Memorial Day Parade Committee.

For 45 years he was a member of the Harvard Fire Department, serving as a lieutenant for five years, deputy chief for 19 years, and chief for six years from 1984 until his retirement in 1990.

He served on the town Bicentennial Committee, and the steering committee for the Harvard Ambulance Squad, of which he was a charter member. Paul served as Harvard cemetery commissioner, a special police officer, Harvard civil defense director, and substitute mail carrier for the Harvard post office.

Twin brothers PJ (left) and Peter Johnston at this year's Veterans Day ceremony where they received Army Good Conduct medals and National Defense Service medals. (Courtesy photo by Kelly S. Lyddy)

For years Paul collected clothing for the Pine Street Inn, furniture for the Refugee Program in Worcester, and delivered food items to the Mustard Seed Food Pantry in Worcester.

His greatest commitment was to his church, St. Theresa of the Little Flower. He was a lifelong member and also served as a lector and Eucharistic minister. He chaired several retreats, was a leader in the Church Renew Group and was vice president of the Christian Family Life Group. For the past five decades he served as the church custodian and caretaker.

Paul is survived by his wife of 54 years, Doris A. (Paquette) Johnston; his daughters, Paula K. Johnston of Harvard and Lori A. (Johnston) Lucy and her husband, Robert, of Shirley; and his son, Alan B. Johnston, and his wife, Marie, of Bedford, N.H.; his twin brother, Peter K. Johnston of Ayer; and his sister, Mary U. Butler of Somerville. He also leaves four grandchildren, Robert F. Lucy III, Allison K. Lucy, Ashley M. Johnston, Kayla B. Johnston, and several nieces and nephews. Paul was the father of the late Steven M. Johnston of Harvard, who died in 1982, and the brother of the late Andrew G. Johnston of Norwood, who died in 2003.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Thursday, Dec. 3, in St. Theresa’s Church. Burial was in Bellevue Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the St. Theresa’s Building Fund, 15 Still River Road, P.O. Box 746, Harvard, MA 01451.