Catherine Staggers Johnson

Catherine Staggers Johnson Catherine Staggers Johnson was born December 24, 1920, in Ocala Florida, the only child of Juanita and Augustus Porter Staggers. In 1940, she graduated from Wadleigh High School in New York. Mom exited this Life on Saturday, September 19, 2015, leaving behind countless loved ones and friends grateful to have known her. God gave us 94 years to enjoy her fun-loving nature, sense of humor, and flair for fashion. Mom, often called, “Kitty” or “Boo Boo,” loved the dramatic: earrings were never too big, rings never too many, and clothes never too bold. Such was her creativity that she designed and sewed outfits for herself as well as for fashion shows or productions at work, church, or senior centers. Eventually, Mom discovered thrift shops. To showcase her finds, she founded CLANG Productions, featuring male and female senior models. In 1995, Mom graduated from the Unique Modeling School in Philadelphia. For a while, she managed her daughter and niece’s girl group, the Pandoras, who recorded for Oliver Records in 1964. Mom loved to party and was a longtime member of two social clubs, the Criterion Girls and Les Cher Grand-meres; she served two terms as President of the Women’s Auxiliary at the Capt. William Slowe Post #3090 in Philadelphia. She was a lover of words, and in 1983, published an article in Essence magazine. She also wrote for employee newsletters and for several years penned a regular column, “Kaye’s Health Vine,” in a national health newsletter. At the time of her death, she was working on a memoir. Mom was loving but not sentimental. Generous but thrifty, feisty but not rude. In her last days, she might forget a day or date yet was quick to tell staff at the Royal Springs nursing home what she did or did not like. She will be missed by daughters, Wista Johnson and Terri Deboe; grandchildren, twins Darryl and Denise Moyler, Diahann Moyler, Kimberly Myers, Mark Deboe , Todd Deboe, and Joseph Deboe; great-grandchildren, Amour Shanee Talbert, William Talbert, Evelyn Pollard, twins Eric and Erica Moyler, Catherine Maggie Moyler, Damon Talbert, Troy Thomas, Tiffany Myers, Tyler Myers, Tia Myers, Dionna Phillips, Dayvon Moyler, Deja Washington, Dachelle Washington, Diamond Moyler, Mark Deboe II, Michael Deboe, Malcolm Drosse, Jordan Denise Deboe, Mason Deboe, and Mikaela Deboe, as well as 15 great-great-grandchildren; cousins, Lynn Dillard and Gary Fontaine; nieces, Vicki and Samantha Gunther, and nephews, Craig Thompson and Erle Toussaint Gunther, She was preceded in death by two husbands, Joseph Johnson and William Johnson; a grandson, Damon Anthony Moyler; two great-grands Cameron Hayes Deboe and Tyler Joel Deboe, and a cousin Elliott Fontaine, Jr. Mom’s most enduring legacy is her zest for life; she never missed an opportunity to jump on the dance floor or snap her fingers to a Motown hit. May she continue to dance in Heaven and bask in the light of the Almighty. ,