DEBORA LEA JOHNSON SCHMITT , Age 67 of Solon , passed away of natural causes peacefully in her sleep on Saturday , 1 Feb 2020 .  Beloved wife of 47 years to husband Richard (Rick), devoted mother of Rebecca (Becky) Schmitt and Randall (Randy) Schmitt; loving grandmother of Cheri, Renee Bachhofer and Reece Singerman-Schmitt. Beloved daughter of Janet Johnson and (Thomas, deceased); dear sister of Dennis Johnson (deceased)(Cindy), Denise Cerny (David), Douglas Johnson (Pilar), Donna Lezark (John, deceased), Dee Scot (deceased)(Francie); dear aunt of many nieces and nephews.

At the time of her death , she was traveling with husband Rick and her Sister-in-Law , Cathy Flerchinger , in Tacoma , W A w here Rick was on assignment . On this trip with Rick and Cathy , her goals were to visit the Tacoma Glass Museum and its display of Chihuly glass and eat freshly caught Halibut fish . Sh e accomplished both goals just days before she passed awa y . Debbie was an accomplished traveler , having caug h t the travel bug while living in Germany with then-Army Lieutenant husband Rick . It was here in Germany that Debbie, age 20, also began her career as an Army wife and volunteer . As such , she volunteered her time and efforts as a Girl Scout Troop Leader , Army Community Services Volunteer Supervisor , and IRS trained Volunteer Tax Return specialist for soldiers and their spouses . These efforts all the while raising her two children Becky ( born in Germany ) and Randy ( born in Virginia ) while Rick was frequently deployed away . Later in life , Deb went o n to accept responsibility for predominantly raising her beloved granddaughter Cheri . T h en , with now Lt Colonel Schmitt ' s posting to John Carroll University , she began her second career as the Payroll Administrator for all of JCU . In he r 22 years at JCU , she met many lifelong friends with whom she loved to spend time with after duty hours and on weekends . Debbie was also an avid bird watcher , having a Birders ' Life List of over 600 birds seen . Birding and her love of travel took Debbie to various parts of the United Stat es , as well as Germany , the United Kingdom , Belgium , Italy , Austria , Belize , Australia , P a nama, and China . Costa Rica was next in her planning . Debbie loved to c ook . She was a graduate of the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking , earning her c h ef ' s knife and apron . Everyone loved her cooking . Her Bachelor Degree in Art History in JCU ' s Class of ' 94 culminated her love of art seen throughout her travels and her own artistic talents . From grade school to death , Debbie ' s personal painting , crafting , knitting, and sewing produced hundreds of love-filled pieces for her children , grandchildren , nieces , nephews , and the homeless. In later years, only travel or illness kept her from enjoyable participation every Friday in the Solon Senior Center Knitting Group. Daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, traveler, birder, artist. Adventurous and full of youthful wanderlust. Not a Veteran, but had the toughest job in the Army; Army Wife. . In lieu of flowers family suggests contributions to World Wildlife Fund, 1250 Twenty- Fourth St N.W. P.O. Box 97180, Washington DC 20090-7180. WWF-Endangered Species Conservation/World Wildlife Fund.  Prayer service at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, February 13, 2019 at TABONE KOMOROWSKI FUNERAL HOME, 33650 SOLON RD. (JUST W. OF SOM CENTER), SOLON.  Followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 A.M. St. Rita's Church 32820 Baldwin Rd., Solon. Family will receive friends at the FUNERAL HOME from 2-8:00 P.M.  Wednesday, February 12.