Deborah Sue Paige

Deborah’s Life Journey Deborah Sue Paige was born on January 22, 1956, to the late Barbara Jean Johnson-Hill and James Henry Hill in Washington, DC. In her early youth, she received Christ as her personal Lord and Savior at the encouraging hands of her grandmother, Ella Leslie Johnson, lovingly known as “Granny,” She matriculated through the District of Columbia Public School system, graduated from Spingarn High School in 1974, and briefly attended a Nursing Program at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). Deborah later realized that her passion was in public service, so she set out to pursue a professional journey in the federal government including the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Smithsonian Institute Office of Inspector General (OIG). The Department of Interior (DOI), the Fish and Wildlife Division, was her final career destination where she touched the lives of those she worked with. She had planned to retire in January 2025, marking over 30 years of public service. Today, we honor her unwavering commitment and dedication. Thank you, Deborah! Deborah was all about family, staying connected, and committed to being a driving force that kept everybody together. She loved her siblings dearly and would do anything for them. Her three “girls,” Tia, Tiana, and MiMi, were her world, as she would often refer to them as her “heartbeats,” “headaches,” or her “stooges”. Deborah was extremely proud of the strong young women that her daughter and granddaughters have become. Her legacy will continue to live on through them. Deborah’s reach was mighty, and there was not a threshold she crossed, where she was not widely known. From the “Just Us Crew” to “The Hens,” Deborah and her friends knew how to have an absolute good time! More importantly, she created a sense of family and comradery wherever she went, and she will be forever etched in our memories for being the best version of herself. From being a lover of God, sister, mother, stepmother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, work “mother” and friend, everybody loved Deborah. There was never a dull moment in her life, because she was the life of the party, a sharp dresser, always kept her hair laid, loved to cook, and was considered a hand-dancing queen, from the “Chateau Chateau” to Thursday nights at the Tradewinds, and then to the good ole “VFW.” To know her was to love her, and you understood she talked big “trash,” and if she ever responded to you with “alright Joker,” that was LOVE! You could never win an argument with her, even if you were right. You always knew if she was talking specifically about you because she was just that “straight up.” Deborah loved her plants, and she didn’t play about her spot on the couch or the TV remote. She was a meticulous neat freak and big on cleaning. Any party you attended at her residence was going to be a time had, and there was one rule at her cookouts, “You cannot be in the house. Period! It’s called “cookout” for a reason.” Deborah had a heart of gold, and although we will no longer receive her morning inspirations on Facebook, or have the opportunity to see her physically laughing and joking, talking about politics, or even being that person you call for advice, her spirit will continue to minister to us forever. So, let’s honor her by continuing to operate in God’s love as she did every day, because in the words of DP, “I am so very blessed and so are you.” Deborah knew Christ for herself! Deborah is survived by her aunts, Billi Griffin and Ozzie Smith; brothers, James Hill (Heidi), Jeffrey Hill, and David Hill; sisters, Raveen Hill and Michele Shaw. She leaves to cherish her memory, her devoted daughter, Tia Davis; loving granddaughters Tytiana McKinney and Ji’Mie Womack; former husband and good friend James M. Paige; and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, and close family and friends.

Tributes

Deborah Sue Paige

January 22, 1956 - October 20, 2024