The family sadly announces the passing of M. Carole Johnson on June 22, 2025. She was 83.
M. Carole Johnson, 83, passed away on on June 22. A celebration of her life will be held in the near future.
Born Sept. 27,1941 in New York City to Corinne and Carl Maxwell, Carole moved to Darien in her early teens and graduated from Darien High School in 1959 where she met Paul Johnson.
After their marriage in August 1962, they moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Paul completed Harvard Law School and she finished her undergraduate degree in psychology at Boston University and worked for the famed behavioral psychologist B. F. Skinner.
They had their first child, Elisabeth, in 1965. They then moved to New York City where Paul worked and studied for the bar.
In 1968 they moved into their current home on Red Barn Road, just a few hundred yards from where they were each raised. Their son David was born in 1972.
Carole’s community involvement initially focused on volunteering in Darien Public Schools. First at Holmes School, where she worked in the library and later was instrumental in the restoration of the Holmes School WPA Nursey Rhyme mural. She then became a fixture at Darien High School, volunteering in the Guidance Department. She continued to keep involved by organizing the class reunions for both her class of 1959 and Paul’s class of 1958.
Carole was deeply involved in other community projects, including the Darien Nature Center and her most beloved Darien Historical Society (now the Museum of Darien) where served on the board and volunteered through 2017. She was largely responsible for the barn exhibition center addition.
Carole returned to work in the 1980s at Faience, one of the first stores to open in the newly redeveloped SoNo historical district. A few years later she joined her dear friend Anne Satterthwaite at her store Henri Burton French Antiques in Greenwich. In the 1970s and 1980s, Carole also was the marketing director of Jae Maries Pratt’s watercolor house portraits.
Carole loved entertaining her friends by hosting dinner parties and book group sessions where they read and discuss hundreds of books together.
Carole’s dominant “sport “was her needlepointing skills. Christmas ornaments and stockings are a treasured family legacy and much of this handiwork was done while accompanying Paul to various sporting events.
Carole and Paul loved to travel. They visited every continent except Antarctica but would always return to Europe. Working for Henri Burton, Carole and Paul would often travel to France with Anne and her husband Hank to purchase antiques for their store.
Later the two very much enjoyed taking river cruises throughout Europe. They also managed to chase their son around his worldly adventures visiting him in Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina, and at his home in Big Sky Country, Montana.
Carole was known for her incredible patience, intelligence and her deep chuckle. She was not one to gossip or ever talk about anyone else’s business. She was a classy lady. She always wrote thank you cards by hand, generously donated to local causes, and was a confidant to her friends.
Despite her recent battle with dementia Carole never complained. Her spirit always remained positive. Her commitment to Paul was unwavering. They were joined at the hip. Whether it was their daily neighborhood walks, going to the beach, reading the newspaper, or going to community events it was always Carole and Paul together.
Carole is survived by her husband and best friend Paul Johnson, children Elisabeth (Jim Buttz) and David (Tara Vandersloot) and grandchildren Caroline and Wilson Buttz. She was preceded in death by her sister Sue Wright.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to The Museum of Darien.
There will be a celebration of life for Carole in the near future. The family thanks all who’ve reached out in support.
— an obituary from Lawrence Funeral Home, where online condolences may be left