Deborah Delores Johnson (Coon), of Oak Grove, Missouri, was born on November 22, 1952, in San Miguel, California. She went to be with the Lord on June 23, 2025, at her home in Oak Grove.
Debbie is survived by her daughters, Heather and Melissa; her grandchildren, Nathaniel and Ava Marie; her mother, Lillian Sanders; her brother, Michael Coon (Pamela); and her sister, Vickie Lancaster. She was preceded in death by her beloved father, Jesse Sanders, and her brother, Tony Sanders, both of whom she loved dearly.
Debbie cherished her childhood in Missouri, her lifelong friends from Oak Grove High School (Class of 1970), and time spent visiting family “back home” in North Carolina. After working at Southwestern Bell, she became a devoted mother—first to Heather in 1975, and later to Missy in 1980. According to all who knew her, she adored being a mom.
She had an adventurous spirit and a passion for travel, often taking her girls on summer road trips across the country—armed with coolers full of sandwiches and a mom’s classic warning from the front seat. A proud rockhound, Debbie returned from every trip with her weight in unusual rocks to decorate her beloved gardens. She had a gift for growing flowers, which she passed down to her daughters and granddaughter.
Debbie was an exceptional cook, baker, and canner, known for her birthday dinners made with love. She believed in hard work, the golden rule, and nightly prayers. She was baptized in 2016 by Pastor Randy Messer, alongside her granddaughter Ava Marie—a moment she treasured deeply.
Ava Marie was the light of her life, and the two shared many sweet moments, especially playing their special version of patty-cake: “crazy-cakes.” Debbie will be remembered as kind, hardworking, quick to laugh, deeply loving, and always ready to lend a hand. Her memory will be cherished, her lessons remembered, and her traditions carried forward—because she was the mother that God gifted us, and the one He knew we needed.
Everyone is welcome to attend her visitation at Royer Funeral Home in Oak Grove, Missouri, at 101 SE 15th Street, Thursday, July 3rd from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Obituary submitted by the family.
Arrangements: Royer Funeral Home, Oak Grove, Missouri