Deborah Holt Carter, 67, of Oxford, MS, formerly of Meridian, MS, passed away at home on Monday, May 25th, 2020, of complications of Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). A private graveside service will be held On Friday, May 29, 2020, in Eastover Memorial Cemetery with The Reverend Ann Kelly officiating.
Debbie was born in Memphis, TN, on July 21, 1952. She and her husband Benny were married for 45 years and had three children. She was preceded in death by her twin sister, Donna, her sister, Barbara Couch, and her parents, Robert F. Holt and Kathryn Pike Holt. She is survived by her husband, William (Benny) Carter of Oxford; her children Bradford Carter of Oxford, Scottye Carter-Dewey and husband, Aaron Dewey of Oxford, and William (Will) Carter of Seattle, WA, and wife, Nicole Carter, along with a much loved granddaughter, Layla Grace Carter; her sister, Elaine Holt Rockenhaus and husband, Kurt of Boise, ID; her mother-in-law, Blanche Carter; and many brother- and sister-in laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, and grand-niece and nephews.
Debbie graduated from Corinth High School in 1970 and attended Northeast Community College where she met Benny. Debbie and Benny transferred to the University of Mississippi in 1972. Debbie received a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders in 1974 and a Master’s degree in Deaf Education in 1975, both from Ole Miss. She and Benny were married on June 1, 1974. Debbie worked for the Meridian Public School District as a speech pathologist from 1984-2012 when she retired, with most of her career spent at Poplar Springs Elementary.
After moving to Oxford, her inability to sit still and love of children led her to take a position in special education for the Oxford Public School District for several years. Debbie was thoughtful, gracious, loving, and endlessly giving. She brought joy to all she met through her bright smile and kind eyes, and she started and ended each day thinking of how she could take care of others.
She loved Ole Miss, her garden and flowers, knitting blankets for extended family additions, her dogs, a road trip out West, video-chatting with her granddaughter, and a good cheeseburger. Nothing could get her down, not even in the late days of her disease progression, and she will forever be missed by her family.
Memorials may be made to the Multiple System Atrophy Coalition at https://www.multiplesystematrophy.org/.
