Farewell to Dee Dee

Dee Dee Zawaydeh-Johnson, who ran the Stanford Women's Basketball office for30 years, passed away a few days ago. Tara wrote this letter to the SWBB alums:

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dee Dee Johnson. Dee Dee passed away yesterday morning after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Dee Dee became a member of the Stanford Athletics family in 1986 when she joined the department as an office assistant for the Track and Field program. From there, she transferred to Women’s Basketball where, for over 30 years, Dee Dee she was a mainstay. She ran the Women’s Basketball office, and did so with great pride. Dee Dee was an extremely hard worker and was fiercely loyal to the Women’s Basketball staff and team. She truly cared about the coaches, staff and student-athletes. One of her favorite nights was the year-end banquet where she shared her own inspirational, funny and creative review of the season to open the evening.

Dee Dee truly loved Stanford and even after she was unable to work, she still came to visit whenever she could, and when she could not visit, the Women’s Basketball staff would visit her. On their last visit to see Dee Dee, she was unable to speak so she wrote a note that said “I miss work and I love you guys.”

Dee Dee will be sorely missed, but her spirit will live on in the Women’s Basketball program.

Address to send cards to Dee Dee's family:
c/o Chi Chi Johnson
1935 Colony ST. Unit A
Mountain View, CA 94043

See also Tara's Reflection on Dee Dee