Austin, TX - Candace "Cissy" Johnson Calhoun, born February 17th 1948 died from complications of dementia on June 13, 2026. Candace was at her home, on hospice, surrounded by her loved ones. Candace is preceded in death by her lover, Tom Glore, her sister Cindy Morris, and brother Jeff Johnson. She is survived by her four children, Jared Ward Calhoun, Jennifer Carey Clark, Reagan Vane Bradwisch (Christopher Bradwisch), Meredith Johnson Fausett (Toby Fausett), and her four grandchildren, Drake Joseph Rubik, Anthony Ray Clark, Joshua Joseph Fausett and Elizabeth Johnson Fausett, as well as her brother, Curt Johnson.

Candace grew up in Des Moines and Waukee, Iowa. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Iowa and worked as a registered nurse in obstetrics, emergency medicine, and medical-surgical nursing. She later continued her education, earning a master's degree in nurse anesthesiology and becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) with Capitol Anesthesia in Austin, Texas.

While pursuing her advanced degree, Candace served as a Captain in the United States Army Reserve until her honorable discharge in 1999.

Candace moved herself and her four children to Round Rock TX in 1990 after her ex-husband abandoned the family in West Virginia. Candace was a strong and resilient woman, picking herself and her family back up after many setbacks with grace and determination.

Candace relished in traveling as well as retirement on lake LBJ in Horseshoe Bay, Texas. Her friends and family visited her frequently. Candace then moved to the Belterra neighborhood in 2019 while she was on dialysis, finally going into kidney failure from polycystic kidney disease (PKD). In October of 2020, Candace received a new kidney from her daughter Carey. Candace was then diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment in the spring of 2021, leading to the ultimate diagnosis of vascular dementia.

Candace loved garage sales and estate sales and was a fearless negotiator. She amassed an impressive collection of tools and knew how to use them as well as anyone. In true Candace fashion, she once rented scaffolding and single-handedly repainted the entire exterior of her family's two-story home in Round Rock, Texas. Though she stood just 4 feet 11 inches tall, Candace was known for being small but mighty and never letting anything slow her down. She was a giant in strength, perseverance, loyalty, charm, and wit.

Candace was deeply loved by her children, grandchildren, and friends. She appreciated the poem How Do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning and said that while she first thought it was about the love between a man and a woman, she later realized it described the love between a mother and her child. Her favorite line was: "I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach".

Candace will be missed beyond measure by all who knew and loved her. In lieu of flowers or donations to any charitable organization (although, if you insist, St. Jude would be her choice), please save the time and join her family this fall for a celebration of her life. The date will be announced soon.