Deborah Kathryn Lewis Witherington
Published 4:00 am Sunday, December 6, 2015
Funeral services for Debbie Witherington will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Pineview Baptist Church in Clinton, with graveside services at Magnolia Cemetery in Meridian at 3 p.m. the same day. Her friend and pastor Neil Grantham will preside over the services. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home in Meridian is in charge of arrangements.
Debbie was born Aug. 16, 1950, and passed away following a stroke at the age of 65 at University of Mississippi Medical Center on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, surrounded by family who loved her dearly.
Debbie held many occupations over her lifetime, but the vast majority dealt with children. She began her career as a kindergarten teacher at First Baptist Church, Meridian, and ended her career as a prekindergarten teacher at First Baptist Church, Clinton.
For years in between, she worked at, ran or even owned a daycare (Early Years Learning Center). She claimed to have raised half of Clinton! Debbie’s greatest joy was investing in children – especially her grands, who were the center of her universe.
Debbie was also known to be quite the Southern spitfire, who would put you in your place if she thought you needed it, but also hit her knees in prayer for you and continued to do so long after you’d forgotten the whole incident. She was a rare jewel who readily found her invites alongside both the sinners and the saints for she knew the secret – she was confident because she knew she is a child of God. She was humble because she realized everyone else is, too (Glennon Melton, momastery blogger).
Debbie was a giver in life and a giver in death. Anyone who truly knows Debbie can easily think of something she did for or gave to them – that is just how she was. It would thrill her to learn that despite her poor health and 20-plus years struggle with systemic lupus, she was able to be an organ donor upon her death.
She is survived by her husband, Michael Rex Witherington of Clinton; daughter Lori Miller Dodson and husband, Patrick, of Clinton, and grandchildren, McCall Lane Sturgis, Morgan Maxwell Sturgis, Jacob Miller Sturgis – all children of Lori and living in Clinton; daughter Shannon Witherington Runge and husband, Garrett, of Foley, Ala.; son Chris Michael Witherington and wife, Lacey, and their children, Gracie Elizabeth and Brayden Christopher of Gulf Shores, Ala.; sister Lynne Lewis Compton and husband, Robert, of Meridian; niece Kathryn Compton Monsour and husband, Greg, and their children Hays William, Anniston Lex and Stelynn Rose; and niece Tyner Compton Mikell and husband, Jeremiah, and their daughter Audrey Kathryn.
Debbie was proceeded in death by her parents, Bobbie Tyner Morgan, Chad Yates Morgan Sr. and William Lewis.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Blair Batson Children’s Hospital.
Pallbearers will include Todd Sturgis, Gates Pee, Clyde Serton, Greg Monsour, Jeremiah Mikell, Garett Runge, John Williams, Lee Tyner and Lewis Tyner.
Visitation will be held today, from 1-3 p.m., at Pineview Baptist Church in Clinton.
Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at robertbarhamffh.com