Kandyce Lee Johnson

Kandyce Lee Jones Johnson, affectionately known as Kandy by family and friends, was born on October 6, 1956, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to Mary Lou Jones and Joseph Edward Jones, Jr. She passed away on January 6, 2026, surrounded by her loving family after a courageous four-month battle with cancer.

Kandy was raised in Tulsa and Oklahoma City alongside her sisters, Kay and Karen, in a close-knit family that nurtured her creativity and independence. Her father’s love of music—and his talent on the trumpet—sparked her own lifelong passion for music. At just 10 years old, she formed her own band, Kandy and the Canes, playing the drums and even performing “Wipe Out” on the Ida B. Show. She graduated from Midwest City High School in 1974 and began her studies at the University of Oklahoma as a ballet major. However, after undergoing surgery for melanoma, she courageously changed course and ultimately earned her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene in 1978. In 1979, she met her future husband, Bill, while hostessing at the Kentucky Club. Though she often told friends he was not husband material, he somehow persuaded her to marry him in 1982, and together they built a wonderful life and family over the next 43 years.

Kandy was a woman without limitation who found joy in caring for every living thing around her. She was an animal lover (especially her cats, Tink and Kit Carson), a gardener, chef, baker, and homemaker, creating beauty, comfort, and charm wherever she was. A true renaissance woman, Kandy was endlessly curious and a lover of learning, never afraid to try something new or master a new skill.

She was a fighter and survivor in every sense, strong in both body and spirit. She was a tennis player, swimmer, boxer, upholsterer, seamstress, needlepointer, tie-dye artist, photographer, medical consultant, do-it-yourselfer, troubleshooter, tinkerer, and jack of all trades. She proudly served as the family’s chief handywoman, keeping everything from the pool to the doorknobs running smoothly with grit and ingenuity. Kandy never met a stranger—she connected deeply and personally with almost everyone she met. Always the first to cry at anything remotely sentimental, she wore her heart on her sleeve, offering genuine interest and compassion. She was always the first call for anything anyone ever needed.

Professionally, she served others as a dental hygienist for over 35 years, and personally, she was a friend, confidant, and advocate to many. Above all, her greatest and most cherished role was caring for her beloved husband, Bill, and building a family rooted in kindness, devotion, and strength. In recent years, she found immeasurable joy in her role as “Peach,” pouring care, warmth, and unconditional love into her granddaughters.

She is survived by her husband of 43 years and love of her life, Bill; her two daughters, Cory and Kree; her son-in-law, Nick; and her treasured granddaughters, Evie and Francie. She is also survived by her three sisters, Kay Gaw (Mark), Karen Logan, and Niki Kalsu (Bryan), as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins who leaned on her as a pillar of strength and wisdom throughout the years. She is predeceased by her mother, Mary Lou; her father, Joe; her stepfather, Guy Furman; and her aunt and uncle, Ramah and Allen “Snookie” Winter.

The family would also like to express their sincere appreciation for the compassionate support of Rachel Thompson and Alexandra Urice, Dr. Aleda Toma and her oncology team, and Melinda Jackson of Faith, Hope, and Love Care.

A funeral service celebrating Kandy’s life will be held Friday, January 16, at 1:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Kandy’s honor to the Oklahoma Humane Society.