Deborah Jane Valderrama

Deborah Jane Johnson was born on February 2, 1953, in Minneapolis, Minnesota to George and Eva Johnson. The family lived in Minot, North Dakota where, from a young age, Debbie’s parents instilled a sense of family. She was the second of six children; sister to Mary, Gary, Laurie, Susie, and Jody.

When Debbie was a teenager, the family moved to La Verne, California. She was in the first 8th grade class at Ramona Middle School. Debbie and her siblings attended Bonita High School where years later her children, nieces, and nephew would attend that same high school. Debbie went to college at Cal Poly Pomona where she originally aspired to become a PE teacher but later changed to a liberal studies major so that she could be an elementary school teacher. Debbie went on to teach 3rd grade within the Bonita Unified School District for 20 years.

In 1977, Debbie went on a first date with Carlos Valderrama. They went out for drinks and Debbie tried to hurry up to date since it was the same day as her mom’s 50th birthday party. Debbie and Carlos married on June 5, 1982, and spent the next 44 years together. They have 3 children; Sergio, Andrea, and Rebecca.

Debbie is predeceased by her parents George and Eva, and her brother Gary.

Debbie is survived by her husband Carlos, her three children and their spouses, Sergio and Kathy Valderrama, Andrea and Ryan Samaniego, and Rebecca Valderrama, her three grandchildren Kai Valderrama, Kira Valderrama, and Mia Samaniego, as well as her three sisters Mary, Laurie, and Susie, brother Jody, six nieces, three nephews, and several great nieces and nephews.