John F. Paulsen, better known as "Johnny" to his family and friends, was born October 12, 1908, on a farm-ranch in the Pedro, South Dakota, area to Ray S. and Ora M. (Strandell) Paulsen.

He grew up on the farm-ranch in the Pedro area where he attended rural elementary school prior to attending the Rapid City High School and later the Philip High School.  As a young man he farmed and ranched with his parents near Pedro.

Johnny was united in marriage to Myrtle Barton on June 15, 1932, at Philip, South Dakota.

They made their home on a ranch north of Wall, which they operated until 1957 when they moved into Wall.  While in Wall they owned and operated the Rest Haven Motel for 13 years.  Johnny then worked for the Wall Drug Store until retiring in the late 1980s.

Johnny enjoyed the outdoors, especially in his early years when he trailed cattle and the later years fishing and hunting.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Wall where he was church usher and held numerous other positions.  He was a member of the Crescent Masonic Lodge #210, A.F. & A.M.; the Naja Shrine Temple of Deadwood; and the York Rite of Rapid City.  He was a former member of the Wall Lions Club.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Myrtle Paulsen of Wall; a son, Jack Paulsen and his wife, Sharon, of Sioux Falls; a grandson, Damond Paulsen of Sioux Falls; one brother, Harry "Bud" Paulsen of Wall; two sisters, Edna Barnes of Huron, South Dakota, and Gladys Sether of Idaho Falls, Idaho; and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Services
Monday, January 10, 1994
1:30 p.m.
United Methodist Church
Wall, South Dakota

Officiating
Reverend Keith Lampert

Music
Dorothy Shearer - Organist
Lucille Holsether - Vocalist

Ushers
Jerry Johannesen - Bill Leonard
Bernard Foster

Active Pallbearers
Orlin Winkowitsch - Larry Gabriel
Edward Peterson - Danny O'Connell
Vernon Burns - Dale Keyser

Honorary Pallbearers
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment with Masonic Rites
Wall Cemetery
Wall, South Dakota