Elizabeth Carrie Paulson

Elizabeth Carrie Paulson passed away May 22, 2023.  She was born on January 30, 1924, in Park Falls, Wisconsin, to Annis and Leroy Johnson.  She was brought up in a family of ten children--eight girls and two boys.  She spent much of her childhood in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. 

While in high school, Elizabeth decided to go on to college.  She babysat for $0.10/night to earn money for her tuition, which was $25 a semester.  Starting in 1942, she attended Central State Teachers College in Stevens Point with a major in Home Economics and a minor in English and General Science.  The Home Ec degree included classes in foods, clothing, chemistry, physics, child development, and bacteriology.  Elizabeth and her sister Glenna both attended college and lived at home in order to save money.  After the first two years of college, their parents moved to Milwaukee so Elizabeth went to work in Chicago to help support Glenna through college.  In Chicago, Elizabeth worked at Foot Brothers Machine and Tool that made airplane gears for the World War II effort.  After Glenna completed her college, she worked so Elizabeth could finish her degree.  While in her senior year in college, Elizabeth met her future husband, John Walter Paulson, and five months later, they were married. 

She received her bachelor’s degree in 1948 and went on to teach Home Ec, English, and General Science classes throughout her career.  She taught in Wauseca, Waupun, Beloit, Madison, and Middleton, Wisconsin.  She also did substitute teaching in South Beloit, Illinois, and New Jersey. While holding down a teaching career, Elizabeth had four children--two boys and two girls. 

In 1974, Elizabeth decided to go for her master’s degree.  After much wrangling with the UW Madison over her being an older student, she was accepted into the Home Ec master’s program.  Unfortunately, she was not able to complete the program due to problems on the home front (two teenage girls).  But, she did enjoy her time at the UW working with younger students. 

Elizabeth went on to work for WPS insurance in Madison after her children were grown.  After she and John retired, they had a home built in Summerfield, Florida, in 1993.  They spent 22 wonderful years in Florida making new friends and loving the sunshine.  In 2014, John’s declining health brought them back to the Madison area where family lived. 

Elizabeth is survived by her four children, John Paulson (Cindy), Tad Paulson, Carrie Poole (Todd), Lori Price (David), six grandchildren, six great grandchildren, her brother LeRoy Johnson and her sister, Alice (Tom) Spenner.  She was preceeded in death by her husband of 69 years, John; her mother and father; her sisters Dora, Myra, Carol, Evon, Luella, and Glenna, and brother, Norman (“Swede”).  Elizabeth lived to be 99 years old and lived longer than her sister Glenna, who died at 98 years old.  She will brag about this in heaven.

The family would like to thank Brookdale, The Jefferson Senior Apartments, and Sienna Meadows Memory Care for their patience and care of Elizabeth.  Donations in Elizabeth’s name can be given to Agrace Hospice Care, Dane County’s Aging and Disability Resource Center, or The Alzheimer’s Association.  

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at the Cress Center, 6021 University Ave., Madison, WI 53705. A luncheon will follow.

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com

Cress Center

6021 University Ave. Madison