A memorial service celebrating the life of Delayne Johnson Jackson will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 21, 2026, at The Heights Church in Cleburne, Texas.

Delayne Johnson Jackson (66) went home to her Lord on March 8th 2026. She was surrounded in death as in life by love, with her family, her friends and her dog. She was preceded in death by her father, Douglas F Johnson. She is survived by her children, daughter Audrey, her husband Tylor Bledsoe, and their children Shane, Ava, Hadley, and Caroline of Blum, Texas; son Dillon Jackson and his wife Katy of Houston, Texas; daughter Sarah, her husband David Russell, and their children Finley, Adalee, and Bowden of Australia; Garrett Jackson and his daughter Ellie of Cleburne, Texas. She is also survived by her mother Joan Johnson of Cleburne, Texas, brother Bryan Johnson and his wife Lesley of Abbot, Texas and their children, Kylie Johnson of Honduras, Kadyn Johnson of Salina, Kansas, and Karsyn Johnson of Fort Worth, Texas; and sister Jayne Johnson of Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Her family would also like to acknowledge friends who helped and are listed among family. Cindy Young Storey, Laurie Hardee, Elizabeth Hill Gunter, MaryAnn Simpson, Martha Mahany Twaddell, and Becky Hall. 

Delayne Johnson was born on March 4th 1960 in Hondo, Texas in the heart of the Texas Hill country. It was a magical place that instilled a love of nature and of animals. Her family moved to Cleburne during elementary school where she grew up and formed life-long friendships. She graduated from Cleburne High School in 1978 and attended Baylor University, graduating in 1982 with a degree in elementary education. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority. After graduation she joined Southwest Airlines and was employed with the company until last year. 

Of all the wonderful descriptives that have been shared, the one constant is that she loved deeply. If you were a recipient of that love, you were fortunate indeed. She had many loves, and if you had to order those loves it might look like this: She loved the Lord first with all her heart, soul and mind, she loved her neighbor as her-self and she loved her grandchildren! 

And then… on any given day or moment, Delayne might have a rotating hierarchy of loves among her children, her family, her friends, her dog, chocolate or coffee. 

She loved sugar so much that she wanted to be called “ Shuggie “ by her grandchildren; however, due to the sound of the pronunciation of “Shuggie” by her first grandchild, she was affectionately called Duggie by all. She loved hospitality on every level. She loved to throw a party, to cook for the party, to decorate, to celebrate, to gather all her children, grandchildren, family and friends wherever she could. She loved the birds and fed them so much that the back porch became an aviary, with birds flying frequently into the house when the door was open. She loved her four-legged, constant and faithful companion, Bella. She loved the outdoors. One of her fondest memories was surviving a week-long canoe trip down the Rio Grande River in Big Bend National Park during college- An adventure few Texans attempt but is considered a true Texas experience. She loved each and every one of her children and grandchildren and spent many hours on the phone with them. She loved to laugh and laughed so loud that she could be identified across a soccer field by all her children. She loved to break out in a dance in the grocery store when a good song came on!

She was also defiant and fiercely and chronically late. Her Doctors would shake their heads in amazement as she defied their predictions. Perhaps the Lord called her Home years ago but knew she would be late. That’s why we had her so many more years. We will miss her every day but we rejoice knowing that we will be together again. In the meantime we will live our lives with love, like Duggie, for the Lord (and we will eat a little chocolate, drink some coffee and dance). 

The family requests any donations be made to The Wheelhouse (thewheelhouse.org) in Houston, Texas or UTSouthwest Medical Center, Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center in Dallas. (engage.utsouthwestern.edu)