Deborah Louise Johnson Bryson was born at 8:25 a.m. on Monday October 19, 1959, to the late Huey Richard Johnson and the late Katie Bernice Beasley Johnson at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Tennessee. She passed away at 10:18 a.m. on Saturday March 28, 2026, at TriStar Hendersonville in Hendersonville, Tennessee, after a brief illness.

The primary focus of Debbie's life was her ministry and worship of the Most High God, Jehovah (Psalm 83:18 KJV). She was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses on Sunday March 10, 1974. Soon after her baptism, Debbie joined her mother as a full time volunteer Bible educator. She continued in this work for fourteen years while supporting her ministry working at the neighborhood grocery store, H. G. Hill's, as her first job, several positions with Maury Regional Medical Center, and most recent employment as a remote lab assistant for Covenant Pathology Services in Nashville.

Many will remember Debbie as an accomplished pianist who played for congregational singing and in the orchestra at assemblies and conventions of Jehovah's Witnesses in the Middle Tennessee area for many years. She started taking piano lessons at the age of seven and for a time also played the violin.

As Debbie grew up, cats were always a very cherished part of the Johnson household. Of the many cats that she cared for the more famous were "Lionel Johnson," the fiesty Siamese and "Mynk Bryson," the beautiful dark brown cat and retriever who had six toes on each front paw.

Debbie was a good student in school, though she never cared much for it. The Johnson family lived close enough to Debbie's first elementary school that she could see the back of their house from her classroom windows and could spot when "Daddy" happened to be at home. On some of those days, she found herself much too ill to finish the school day and needed to be taken home only to enjoy a miraculous recovery. She graduated in 1977 from Central High School in Columbia.

Debbie married the love of her life, Roderic Bryson of Fayetteville, Tennessee, at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday September 1, 1985. During their 40 year marriage they enjoyed their volunteer ministry, entertaining family and friends, music, singing, cooking, landscaping, decorating, and watching classic movies from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. They "adopted" several children who remain close though living across the country.

Debbie was preceded in death by her parents and her older brother Huey Richard Johnson, Jr.

She is survived by her husband, Roderic Dean Bryson; maternal aunt, Armera Presteen "Teen" Pillow; cousins, Robyn Pillow, uncle Marcus "Bubba" Holt, Sandra Johnson Bellafant, Eloise Jones, Peggy Symlar, Harry (Regina) Symlar, Tommy Martin, Dennis (Bernice) Symlar, Brenda Martin, James Johnson, Tony Johnson, Virginia Mason (Warren, OH), Theresa Churchwell (Columbus, OH), Nicole "Nikki" Griffin, Nicolas (Chatiqua) Moore, D'Andra (Keyvon Jones) Moore, Leonard Thicklin, Chester Thicklin Jr, Kevin Thicklin, Kova Thicklin; brother-in-law, Rodney (Rita) Bryson; sister-in-law, Regina Louise Bryson; spiritual mother, Earline Giles; spiritual sisters, Rhonda (Jerry) Hamilton, Jan Fisher, Audrey (Lawrence) Smith, Rachel (Daniel) Bovee, Brenda (Van) Keith, Fae Ankton, Karla Clanton, Lisa Capps, and Keecha (Christopher) Howard; spiritual children, Nicholas (Mahala) Bovee, Ethan (Madelynne) Polk, Julian Clanton, and Kyle (Sophie) Lao, Ivo Ozokwere, and a host of spiritual family and friends.

Special thanks for outstanding care to TriStar Hendersonville including Dr. Hirsch and team of the Emergency Department; the Critical Care Unit team including Dr. Shehane, Dr. Lidsky, Dr. Kilgore; the phenomenal nursing team including such outstanding examples as Tara Lee, Ashley, Anita, Emily, Casey, Becca, Taylor, Ryan, Tara, Lorena, and others; respiratory therapist, Olivia; clinical pharmacist, Matt; palliative care representative, Diane; and the hospitalist team. Special thanks to primary care physician, Dr. Emily Cecil of Ascension St. Thomas Medical Partners. Special thanks to the East and West Hendersonville Congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses and the many friends who supported the family at the hospital and continue to provide comfort.

A celebration of life for Debbie will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 3:00 PM at Williams Funeral Home in Columbia, Tennessee with the family receiving friends from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers and trees, you may wish to contribute to Jehovah's Witnesses' Worldwide Bible Education Work at https://donate.jw.org/en/USA/donation/WW.