Deborah Clay Grant, better known as Mom and Debby, rejoiced Heaven with her homecoming this past Saturday evening at 7:25pm at the age of 72. She passed peacefully at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis, surrounded by her immediate family and the love of extended family and friends.

Debby was preceded in death by her father and mother; Donald and Virginia Clay.

Debby is survived by her loving husband of almost 50 years, Bowie Grant, her children, Megan Grant (Jason Bilbe), Jamie Grant (Katie Nathan), Kate Grant (Matt Smith) and beloved grandchildren Maclin and Bellamy. Debby is also survived by her siblings, Jeff (Gayle) Clay, Cindy (Craig) Thomas and Steve (Jo) Clay as well as many wonderful nieces and nephews.

Debby was born in Pittsburgh, PA on September 29, 1950. She was the second child and first daughter of Donald and Virginia Clay.

After growing up in the Pittsburgh area, Debby attended West Virginia Wesleyan University where she met Bowie, straightened him out, and they started a long and very happy life together. Debby was an education major and taught high school home economics upon graduation. Debby retired from teaching after the birth of her eldest daughter to dedicate herself to being a homemaker and full-time mom. After 3 children, and several moves around the US, Bowie and Debby settled in Granger in 1993 and joined the River Valley Community. They remained in Granger until in 2019 when they made the decision to move to Indianapolis and be closer to their grandchildren, who were the great lights of her later life. Debby embraced all things around being a Grandma (and waited oh so patiently to become one!), and turned out to be quite a master at it.

Debby lived a selfless life of service to others. Most importantly of which was her unwavering walk with Christ and the beauty of that faith that resonated into every aspect of her life. She was absolutely the most devoted wife and mother, loving sister and daughter and exceedingly loyal friend.

As a sister and a friend, she loved with ferocity. She treasured the family she chose as much as the one she was lucky enough to be born into. Each of those that she held dear occupied a very special space in her heart, which had an unrivaled ability to never run out of room. Her heart managed to grow a little bit more each time she had the chance to accommodate the gift of another relationship. She wanted the very best for everyone in her life and prayed diligently and often for that blessing.

As a mother, she was so much to us. The greeter when we walked in the door after school each day, the tutor for hard homework, the packer of lunches, the fixer of scraped knees, the sewer of costumes, the gourmet chef, the bedtime snuggler, the constant cheerleader and Valentine’s Day paper heart fairy. She made Christmas magical, but made sure we knew the real reason behind the celebration. In later years, she counseled as we navigated our respective preambles into adulthood, she eased broken hearts, dispensed sage advice and gently nudged our compasses towards the North. She enveloped us with care and remained a constant docking station of unconditional love throughout our entire lives.

As a wife, she was a loving and faithful partner to Bowie and together they set an example for us of what true love looks like. They were always each other’s Northstar, never compensating but instead complimenting each other. And no matter what, there was never a question that all she did sprang eternal from a place of deeply rooted love.

While Debby’s earthly body has moved on, please continue to carry her spirit with you and allow her memory and the legacy of her love to live on. And celebrate with us, that today, she is smiling down on all of us, free from her pain and with her Lord.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love”

*Please click on the "Events" tab for information on Debby's Memorial Service this coming Saturday 10/22.

*In lieu of flowers, if you would like to make a donation in Debby's name, please do so with the American Heart Association.

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