Deanna Kay Paxston, 70, of Indianapolis, Indiana, passed on February 8, 2021, at her home doing what she did best--stunning those around her with her ability to persevere through adversity, making her own decisions, and living life the way she saw fit. Deanna was born on August 26, 1950, to Martin and Leona Hahn. She graduated from LaPorte High School in 1968, becoming a cosmetologist. In 1969, she married Tommy L. Sornson and welcomed her daughter Dawn into the world. That was also the year she found out that she was a Type 1 diabetic and had her first of many brushes with death. Tommy and Deanna divorced a few years later, and while they remained friends, Deanna was still a bit miffed remembering the times he had forgotten to take out the trash while they were married. In 1981, Deanna moved to Florida to help take care of her parents, which she did until their passing in the early 2000s. During this time, she worked for Merrill Lynch, earning her stock broker license just before she suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm in 1987. Deanna spent the better part of 18 months in the hospital and a nursing home while rehabilitating through 18 brain surgeries. During her recovery, she met Clyde Kopp, her partner of 28 years. Even though she was still using a walker at the time, this did not stop her from threatening to beat up Clyde’s ex-girlfriend or join him on his shrimping boat. She firmly believed the shrimp boat was her best therapy to learn to balance and to walk steadily again. Her parents believed it was a death trap as Clyde was not afraid of storms, and Deanna told stories of waking up to look out the port hole, only to see fish swimming by until Clyde was able to right the boat. Once their shrimping days were over, Deanna and Clyde spent over a decade buying, flipping, and selling homes. During this time, they enjoyed many cruises and traveled to Alaska. Deanna beat stage 4 inflammatory breast cancer, then survived a massive heart attack. During this time, she also had a severe brain bleed. Each time, the doctors said there was no way she could survive. Each time, Deanna beat the odds and lived life her way. By the early 2010s, the couple had settled into semi-retirement. In 2015, Deanna insisted that they move to Indianapolis to be closer to her daughter. During the move, Deanna needed to deposit a large amount of money into her local Florida bank. When the bank teller asked if she was nervous to transport that much cash, she calmly showed him the small pistol in her purse. As usual, Deanna was living on her own terms, and those around her went along for the ride. Clyde preceded Deanna in death, as did her parents, and her nephew, Bradley Hahn. Deanna spent the last four years of her life living with her daughter Dawn and Dawn’s wife, Teresa. They created countless memories during this time. Deanna loved to travel, eat out, and spend time with friends and family. She also loved an evening nightcap of Canadian Mist, which was oddly surprising since she was once strip-searched at the Canadian border on a motorcycle trip in the 1970s. She held a bit of a grudge about that and got a little nervous when she returned on a mother-daughter trip to Niagara Falls a few years ago. Deanna is survived by her daughter Dawn (Teresa) Cribelar-Sornson, her brothers Bill (Becky) Hahn and John (Barb) Hahn, and her nieces and nephews, Dennis (Rachel Wray) Hahn, Kelli (Ryan) Glisson, and Aaron Hahn. Also surviving are Clyde’s family, David (Sarah) Kopp and Gregg (Amy) Kopp and their children. She is also survived by her family from her first marriage. They never quit calling her “Aunt Dee Dee”-- Diana (Don) Rogowski, Teresa Disse, Leanne Holmes, Alison (Mike) Carden, and Ben (Allie) Rogowski. Entering into her life late in the game, a few people became her extended family. Travels and holidays were shared with Sharon Cribelar, while Tutu Huang, Rachel Overpeck, Avanelle Wedick, and Kleabelle Wedick stepped in as honorary grandchildren. A few heroes also emerged for the family in the last years, and Deanna loved them all—Landra Wedick, Lisa Heaton, Jaime Skoog, Laurie Reberger, and Dave and Ashley Riley. The family is planning a memorial true to Deanna’s wishes during warmer weather. They ask that any memorial contributions be made to Life’s Journey Hospice of Avon, Indiana, as the staff were the angels she needed in the last few weeks (http://www.lifesjourney-avon.com/)