Deborah “Debby” Dayton

On May 17, Debby Dayton passed away after a life filled with love and meaning. She was a woman of strength and conviction. She was born December 25, 1949 to Larry and Ruthy Friedman in Paterson, New Jersey. In 1959 the family, which then included brothers Rob and Joe, moved to Cleveland, Ohio, dooming Debby to a lifetime of sports futility. Nonetheless, she continued to root for the Indians, Browns and Cavaliers throughout her life. Debby graduated from The Ohio State University 1971 with a BA in education. She got her first job teaching English at John Hay High School in Cleveland, where, for 7 years she helped 10th-12th graders appreciate the nuances of Shakespeare, Jane Austin and Ernest Hemingway. From 1978 to 2001, she taught at Thomas W. Harvey High School in Painesville. While there, she met fellow teacher Jim Dayton, and, six months later – eschewing the advice she often gave her students – they married. As retirement loomed, Debby was reluctant to leave the many students she knew needed a helping hand. So she became a certified guidance counselor, and, for the next 17 years, she worked at LEAF, helping high school students make wise choices about college and life. Along with a career devoted to making a difference for her “kids,” Debby was an avid gardener, turning her backyard into a serene oasis. She loved travel, food, music and sports. But above all, she loved her friends and her family: her husband, Jim: his two sisters, Janet and Lois; her brothers, Rob and Joe and their spouses Mindy and Maria; her nieces Natalie (Alex), Grace (Mirza), and Nina (fiancé Lucas); her nephew Peter; grandniece Rose and her grandnephew Kasim. As she did with her students, she had a profound impact on all of their lives. Her kindness, wisdom, generosity, sense of humor and love will be sorely missed. There will be calling hours for Debby on Saturday, June 8, 2024 from 4-7PM at Johnson Funeral Home and Crematory, 368 Mentor Ave., Painesville, Ohio 44077. Memorial contributions are suggested to LEAF at www.leaf-ohio.org. Online condolences available at www.johnsonfuneralservices.net