Lyric Nachelle Johnson, 26, of Fort Wayne, passed away on Monday, July 27, 2026, at Lutheran Hospital of Indiana.

Lyric was born on June 22, 2000, to Steven Dotson and Jami (Johnson) Smith.

From a young age, Lyric knew she wanted to become an archaeologist. At just 12 years old, she discovered her passion for anthropology and pursued that dream while attending college. She was intelligent, curious, and loved learning about other cultures and the world around her.

One of the highlights of her life was participating in a student exchange program through Purdue University Fort Wayne, which allowed her to study anthropology in California for a year. While there, she enjoyed walking along the beach, visiting the Santa Monica Pier, and exploring new places. Her adventurous spirit led her to go skydiving at the age of 19 and take a solo cross-country trip to California, making unforgettable memories along the way.

Lyric had a deep love for music, dancing, traveling, and nature. She was a talented artist and violinist who found joy in being outdoors. She especially treasured the many concerts and museum trips she shared with her mother. Lyric was a free spirit—fearless, brave, beautiful, and full of life, love, and adventure.

She is lovingly remembered by her mother, Jami (Ben) Smith; her father, Steven “Andy” Dotson; her siblings, Easton Labit, Jordan Smith (fiancé, Shelby), Collin Smith, Derek Smith, and Amaya Smith; her maternal grandmother, Kelle Graham (partner, Kevin Kavanaugh); her maternal grandfather, David (Terry) Johnson and paternal grandmother, Martha Smith; her uncles, Jeremy (Stephanie) Johnson, Roger Brown, Travis (Gail) Smith and Jesse (Stephanie) Smith; aunts Stephanie (Jason) Ringle and Becky (Marc) Noll and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will cherish her memory. She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Angela Dotson and great grandparents, Vern “Bud” and Barb Christlieb, Robert and Beverly Johnson and Cissy Dotson.

Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday, August 3, 2026, at Covington Memorial Funeral Home, 8408 Covington Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46804. A service celebrating Lyric's life will begin at 1:00 p.m. Burial will take place privately at Covington Memorial Gardens.

Lyric's adventurous spirit, kind heart, and love for life will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.