Deborah D. Johnston-Caddell

On Wednesday, October 21, 1959, Deborah Denise Johnston was born to Kenneth George and Verla Mae Johnston at Clayton County Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Deborah’s birth order was the second born, second daughter of five children. She and her siblings spent their younger years in University City, Mo. She went to Eckard Park Elementary School then to Jackson Park Elementary. While going to Hanley Junior High her father received a promotion with Eastern Airlines causing the family to relocate to Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1973, she was enrolled in Columbia High School where she remained until her graduation class of 1978. During her high school years, she was adored by many peers. She participated in civil rights sit-ins, walkouts, and marches for equal educational rights and programs at her school. One of Deborah’s first jobs was working at Turtle Records in Decatur, Ga. Afterwards, she began working as a Lab Clerk at Piedmont Hospital. After high school Deborah attended Dekalb County Junior College in which she excelled in her academics.

On May 11, 1981, Deborah gave birth to her first daughter Chasity, later moving to California in August 1982. She worked and raised her daughter until 1985 when she gave birth to her second daughter Shante. In 1989, while working at Chandlers Restaurant she met her life long soulmate Derrick Caddell, they were married on November 21, 1995 and remained together in love for 36 years.

Often, Deborah dreamed of becoming an interior designer and a dental hygienist but chose a different path. She enjoyed working as a medical office manager for Prime America and Medical Billing manager for San Bernardino Medical Group until realizing her dream of interior design with her husband Derrick. She enjoyed decorating her home, which often looked like something from Better Homes and Garden. Also, she loved traveling across the Country with her husband and children visiting several of the Western and Northwestern States.

Unfortunately, on Monday, October 16, 2023 around 5:11 p.m. Deborah’s light extinguished to be with the lord. She is preceded in death by her father Kenneth G. Johnston and brother La Resta R. Johnston. She is survived by the love of her life husband Derrick Caddell, daughters Chasity Reed and Shante Swayzer, mother Verla Johnston, sisters Valastein Johnston and Vickie Neely, brother Kenneth Johnston, three grandchildren KamRyn, Redus, Ahyana, (one on the way), and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, cousins, grand-neices, grand-nephews, in-laws, and friends.

A visitation for Deborah will be held Friday, November 3, 2023 from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Cypress Chapel, 24145 Barton Road, Loma Linda, CA 92354.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.montecitomemorialparkandmortuary.com for the Johnston-Caddell family.