Exercise Instructor & Campbell Soup Retiree, passed away at 49
by Chief Editor, Pleshette Robertson
Photocredit: A-Love LLC
On October 17, 2016 avid fitness guru instructor and a beloved Sacramento community member, Deborah Scott passed away after battling five-years with breast cancer.
Deborah (known by her friends and family as Deb) was a very powerful and determined woman. She would not let anything or anyone get in her way. She was a fighter and she showed us just how strong a spirit can be when she was diagnosed with stage 3A breast cancer in December 2010. During her battle with cancer, she kept her spirits high and her head held high. She became active in the cancer awareness community and always had positive words and vibes. She was also always willing to help you achieve your goals and push you to success.
In 2014 Deborah was one of several women celebrated in the Carrie’s TOUCH breast cancer EXPOSED calendar, I AM NOT My Hair – I’m A Survivor! She was exhibited as: “Fit and fierce describes Deborah best. Her infectious energy and positive attitude lights up any room. Deborah was determined to beat cancer by creating a body that would fight the disease. Maintaining a healthy weight through proper nutrition and exercise has become a priority for Deborah.”
An advocate of healthy lifestyle, Deborah encouraged healthy eating, routine detox and believed in living a life of minimal stress. She enjoyed all kinds of relaxation, fitness and high impact activities. Deborah was so passionate about her fitness classes that she literally taught classes up until the day before she was admitted in the hospital. On days where she didn’t have the energy she would still attend class and teach the attendees while sitting down. Deborah was always pushing participants in her class to push themselves at their own pace.
Deborah was a loving mother to her daughter, Asia Johnson, who currently works at Kaiser Hospital and is expecting her first child. The child is Deborah’s first grandchild due in January 2017. She was looking forward to being a grandmother. “My real best friend, if you seen her you know Asia was right there. She (Deborah) always said you know that’s my baby your carrying right, your just having her for me (LOL) is what she would say”, stated Asia. A memory from one of her dear friends stated “I remember the very first day she came in for services & how she shared her journey with me. She was my first client I dealt with that was in “Remission” Her fight for life was so AMAZING, as it always continued to be up until the last second. Deborah, even in our last conversation the words that were spoken was nothing but gratitude & thankfulness. Then we started chatting about the level of LOVE that grandbabies takes us too even though your bundle of joy hasn’t made her arrival, but the LOVE was already there! Rest well my friend, Rest well….. Gone, but never will be forgotten! A “SURVIVOR” you are! –Tasha Robinson posted on Deborah’s Facebook page 10.17.18
Over her life, Deborah maintained a career in fitness and food. She trained with Coach Carl Fears at Fierce Fitness in the late 1990s, worked as an instructor for Tracy Weldon, at TNT Fitness and was a full time employee of Campbell Soup for 26 years retiring in 2010. For the last six years, she worked out daily teaching aerobics and boot camp classes at Weldon’s gym under Fitness Systems, now under its new name, Sac Fitness, in South Sacramento.
Deborah gave back to her community in many ways. She was a member of C.L.A.S.S.Y. Inc. (Captivating Ladies Acquiring Successful Standards Yearly) an organization who focuses on improving the esteem of ladies 7-18. Keadrian Belcher-Harris, Founder of C.L.A.S.S.Y. stated: “We loved Deb so much as she would teach fitness classes to the young ladies every year. She was an active participant of the Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and a regular at the mother daughter brunch, in which she was honored for exhibiting strength and love through her motherhood.” Deb was not only an inspiration to other breast cancer survivors but she was truly an inspiration to the young ladies that she encountered. She taught them that no matter what to keep your head high and live your life to the fullest, no matter what.” Deborah was also part of the survivor’s club at the Susan G. Komen annual banquets.
In the Fall of 2011, Deborah received the Exceptional Women of Color (EWOC) Excellence Award presented by the Sac Cultural Hub Media Foundation. Pleshette Robertson, Founder of Sac Cultural Hub stated: “I was deeply saddened and just crushed, when I received the news that Deb had passed away. My entire family (my mother, brothers, sisters, and my daughters) have memories of taking Zumba and boot camp classes together with Deb at Fitness Systems in South Sac. I used to hate her ab exercises because she was so hard on us in class. My mother, daughter and I loved our long talks with Deb in the steam room at Fitness Systems. I’m so glad to have these warm memories of Deb. My oldest daughter and I continued to work out with her at kickboxing classes off and on over the last 4 years at Sac Fitness. She was so easy to talk with, very soft spoken and a great listener with always positive feedback.”
Deborah is survived by her daughter, Asia Johnson, mother Shirley Scott, her sisters, Sheryl Scott, Rosalynn Scott, Danielle Scott, and a host of nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her father Bill Scott Jr. and younger sister Dawn Denise Miller.
The Wake Services will be held on Thurs-10/27 from 4 pm to 7 pm at Morgan & Jones Funeral Home, 4200 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95817. The Homegoing Services will also be at Morgan & Jones Funeral Home on Fri-10/28 from 11 am to 1 pm. Red, white and pink flowers can also be donated for the Wake and Homegoing services by dropping off at the funeral home above no later than Thursday, Oct 27. Celebration of the Life Repast services will take place on Fri-10/28 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm at Sac Fitness, 5400 Power Inn Rd, Sacramento, CA 95820. Food items can be donated at Sac Fitness on Fri-10/28 between 6 am to 4 pm.
If you would like to support Asia as she is preparing for the Memorial Services for her mom, please go to: https://www.gofundme.com/deborahs-legacy-calling-4-support-2v7hqdtg
Deborah was also recognized in an article in the Fall 2011 issue of THE HUB Magazine and many beloved friends and family have shared comments about her wonderful life through social media. Visit our remembering Deborah page to read more about her life in her own words, add your memories, and see the impact she had on the lives of so many at http://www.sacculturalhub.com/headlines/memoriesofdeborahscott as well as on Deborah Facebook page.
