Helen Morrow Johnson Obituary

Helen Deborah Morrow Johnson, affectionately known as Debbie, passed away peacefully on July 2, 2025, at the age of 87. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, teacher, artist, and friend, Debbie lived a full and vibrant life marked by her faith, creativity, and unwavering devotion to her family. Born on February 17, 1938, in New York City to Robert Lee and Helen Britton Morrow, Debbie was raised in Riverdale, NY, alongside her older sister, Lucy-Ann and younger brother, Thomas Gregory. She attended St. Gabriel Elementary School, The Academy of the Sacred Heart Mary in New York, and graduated from New Canaan High School in Connecticut, before earning her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY. Debbie's early career included work with a greeting card company, teaching and coaching at a prominent all-girls high school, and serving as an events coordinator for the U.S. Army Service Club in Bad Kreuznach, Germany. It was there she met the love of her life, SP 5 Norman Duane Johnson of Agra, Kansas. The two married on February 8, 1964, beginning a beautiful and enduring union that would last 61 years. After a brief time in Denver, CO, the couple settled in New Canaan, CT, where they welcomed two sons, Jeffrey Brockwell and Jeremy Bradford Johnson. In 1968, the family moved to Ridgefield, CT, where Debbie focused on raising her boys and cultivating her artistic talents. She helped found the Ridgefield Art Guild and played a key role in the formation of Holy Innocents Catholic Elementary School, where she also taught art. In 1977, Debbie began homeschooling her sons, a commitment she continued when the family moved to Woodbridge, CT, in 1978. Her art flourished during this time-she held an exhibit at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven and was commissioned to create a sculpture for Pepperidge Farm's corporate headquarters. In 1998, Debbie and Norman relocated to Fountain Inn, SC, to be closer to their sons. There, she remained active in the arts, participating in regional art festivals and enjoying life surrounded by family and nature. She was especially proud of her two grandsons, Robert Raymond and Patrick Michael Johnson, the sons of Jeffrey and his late wife, Megan Elizabeth Clark (d. 2022). A gifted and versatile artist, Debbie worked in pastels, watercolors, oils, charcoal, terracotta, and metal. Her subjects often reflected her deep Catholic faith, love for seascapes, and passion for portraiture. She also taught CCD and art at Holy Innocents and St. Aloysius in New Canaan. She participated in Pro-life Sidewalk Counseling. Outside the studio, she delighted in gardening-particularly growing First Lady marigolds and zinnias-playing bridge and Scrabble, and spending cherished time at the beach with loved ones. Debbie is survived by her devoted husband, Norman; her sons, Jeffrey and Jeremy; grandsons, Robert and Patrick; sister, Lucy-Ann Bach; and brother, Fr. Thomas Gregory Morrow. Her legacy of love, creativity, and faith lives on in all who knew her. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Taylors, SC. In lieu of flowers and gifts, the family asks that donations be made to Prince Of Peace Catholic School of Taylors, SC, in her memory. Friends are encouraged to share their favorite memories of Debbie with the family by clicking on the button labeled "Share A Memory".