Janel Paul

Janel Paul, 50 of Clayton, NC, was born on Dec. 19, 1970, to David and June Willis, in New Haven, CT. Janel has 2 brothers and 1 sister, Dani McLeod (Bpt., CT), David (Jap) Willis Jr. (New Haven, CT), Darryl Willis (Hamden, CT). Janel attended New Haven Public Schools through high school.

Janel started her career in the medical field briefly at Yale-New Haven Hospital shortly before starting a family. She gave birth to two sons, before meeting her lifelong mate and future husband, Lenard Paul. They then had a baby girl. They were together 19 years, married 13 of them. The blended family now consisted of 9 children and a host of grandchildren, Eric Anthony Walker, Lenard Paul II, (Lenard III, Sincere), Jalen Paul, David Walker, Lindsey Paul, Lannae Gilbert, (Makayla), Rhayne Paul, (Prince Musah), Dieshell Gilbert, (Messiah, Josiah), and Paige Boyd (Uri, Enzo). Janel’s nieces and nephews were also very close to her. Sherrell and Kayla (Jap), Tamara and Janie (Dani), Tatiana (Darryl).

In 2009, the family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where Janel shortly after continued her career in the healthcare field, by starting nursing school. She graduated and excelled in the field rapidly. While performing a stint with Duke Medical, Janel joined the ranks of other educators assisting nursing students studying to enter the field. During the global pandemic of 2020, Janel left her family for New York City to stand on the front lines of her fellow first responders to assist with the high rate of infected patients. This was all with the company Fresenius.

Janel has been the pillar of her family making sure that everyone is taken care of, including her mother.

The same level of love and dedication put into her family was also given to her patients and students. She leaves to cherish her memories her loving husband, mother, children, grandchildren, other family, and a host of friends. Janel has been predeceased by her father.

A celebration of life memorial will be held on Monday, September 20, 2021, at Christian Tabernacle, 425 Newhall St. at 11 a.m., with a repast at Trinity Temple on Dixwell Ave., in New Haven also. Services entrusted to McClam Funeral Home, 95 Dixwell Ave. To leave a message of comfort for the Paul family, please visit www. mcclamfuneralhome.net.