Deanna Lynn Johnson (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Deanna Lynn (Pitts) Johnson was born February 27, 1961 in Gardenia, Los Angeles County, California to her parents, Phillip Bradley Pitts and Mary Jane Kirkpatrick. Soon after she was born, the family moved back to Wanette, Oklahoma where she grew up in the family home in rural Wanette attending Wanette Grade and High School.
Deanna had three siblings, Jennifer, Melinda and Darren Pitts. She also had a half-brother, Phillip Pitts.
She married Robert Skelly and had two children, twins, Jackie Marie and Justin Wayne Skelly. In 1979, her daughter Jackie passed away on January 1, 2014.
Deanna later had a child, Jarod Tanner Jackson in 2000. He and his father Jackie Jackson reside in The Woodlands, Texas.
She later married James Robert “Jim” Johnson on June 28, 2005 in Berryville, Arkansas. They moved to Lebanon, Missouri and have been married and residents of Lebanon for almost 21 years.
Deanna held several positions in her life, she first worked as a waitress at Houck’s Corral in Wanette; the family business, Pitts Stop, Pitts Feed Store, Pitts Mobil Gas station franchises in Oklahoma City; and worked as a cashier at several places. She later served as a blackjack dealer then became casino supervisor in table games. In this capacity she traveled and worked in Colorado, Mississippi, Indiana and Florida. She enjoyed playing Texas hold ‘em. She was good at what she did when dealing cards. For a short time, she was a realtor in Chicago, Illinois. While living in Lebanon she drove the school bus for a few years.
She is preceded in death by her father, Phillip Bradley Pitts; and her daughter, Jackie Marie Skelly.
Deanna is survived by her husband, Jim Johnson of Lebanon; her mother, Mary Jane (Kirkpatrick) Langston of Asher, Oklahoma; her son, Justin Skelly and his wife Mandy of Minco, Oklahoma; two grandchildren, Ella and J.T. Skelly; two sisters, Jennifer Lancaster and her husband Steve of Asher, Oklahoma and Melinda Carr and her husband Larry of Wanette, Oklahoma; and her brother, Darren Pitts of Wanette, Oklahoma.
She was beautiful, had a wonderful personality and was fun to be around. She would say funny things but later in life became more private. She read the entire bible probably several times although never belonged to any church. She was a conservative Republican and didn’t have a problem with explaining her views on politics.
Deanna had been ill for several years with several health issues. She died while at home in Lebanon, Missouri on April 8, 2026.
She is a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin and wife and will be terribly missed by her family. She was loved.
Deanna was cremated and a private, family service will be held in Oklahoma at a later date.
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