Cynthia Ann Johnson Paulson

Cynthia Ann Johnson (Paulson) of Show Low went to be with the Lord on the night of Dec. 25, 2020 in Show Low. She was 71.

She was born in Cadillac, Michigan on July 27, 1949 to Carl and Leah (Marchon) Johnson. The Johnson family moved to Arizona in the summer of 1959.

Cynthia graduated from Benson Union High School in 1967 and attended Cochise College in Douglas, Arizona where she met her husband, Lauren Paulson. Their first date was in October 1967 and they married Dec. 5, 1969. 

She is survived by her husband, Lauren Paulson, and his extensive family. Cynthia and Lauren had two children - Jennifer Paulson Pettit (Steve) of Mesa and Jason Paulson (Laura Singleton) of Show Low. She has two grandchildren, Donovan and Alyssa Pettit. 

She is also survived by her sister, Mary Lee Murray of Show Low and MaryLee's daughter, Patricia Bernal of Benson, Arizona. Cynthia's other surviving sister is Martha Johnson of Deming, New Mexico. 

She is preceded in death by her parents Carl and Leah Johnson and her brother, Ronald Carl Johnson. 

Cynthia lived in Show Low with her husband and family for over 40 years. She worked for Northland Pioneer College for over 20 years and supported her husband throughout his law enforcement career in Douglas and with the Show Low Police Department. This accounted for many late night suppers and sleepless nights but she was stoic and unwavering in her dedication to her family. 

She was active in the Show Low Chamber of Commerce and was one of the ambassadors deemed, "The Lucky 7's".  

Cynthia worked at Ms. Dinah's Place day care and pre-school in Show Low. She enjoyed the little ones immensely but she was a disciplinarian at heart and a stickler for good manners. 

"Nobody makes a potato salad,  cinnamon salad or a Thanksgiving dinner like Cynthia," says her husband. She was also known for her ability to "whip up" a hearty meal with a handful of ingredients and a smidge of time.   

On the lighter side of things, she enjoyed Sudoko, crossword puzzles, the Ellen DeGeneres Show and Family Feud. However, she was a romantic at heart and was known for loading up the DVR with Hallmark channel movies and some of the old classics. She also had a long-running interest in Princess Diana and the Royal Family, keeping her finger on the pulse of all the happenings. 

She appreciated a good sense of humor and was continually entertained by her family's good-natured antics. She adored her son and daughter, regularly bragging about their accomplishments. 

Cynthia didn't mince words or beat around the bush. She didn't put much stock in sugar-coating the facts and she had a no-nonsense way of summing up a situation. Despite her tough exterior, she loved her family and friends and bragged about them to others more than they will ever realize.

A small memorial service will be conducted in Benson at a future date. She will be interned at Cochise Gardens of Rest in Benson, Arizona with her parents and brother.