Deborah Dawn Russell, age 62, loving wife, devoted mother, doting grandmother, sister, soldier’s wife and friend joined the love of her life, husband Michael Jay Russell in Heaven, in the early morning hours of January 27, 2018. Mike predeceased Debbie three weeks earlier on January 5, 2018 to assist their Savior, Jesus Christ, in preparing a place for the both of them in Heaven.

We were all saddened, but not surprised that Debbie was in such a hurry to join her beloved Mike. Those of us who knew and loved Debbie have always known that since the day she was born, she was forever in a hurry to get to wherever she was going to. In fact she had such a hurry to be born that she couldn’t wait for the doctor to bring her into this world. On the day she was born in Benton, Illinois while her mother sat in a car waiting for a train to pass on the way to the hospital, Debbie decided she had waited long enough and decided to enter the world right then and there, which was how she came to be born in the back seat of her great aunt Letha’s car.

Debbie’s life and character were defined by two things: love for her family and love for her country. She was one
of four sisters and three brothers, growing up in a close-knit Army family with her father, now a retired Brigadier
General. She spent the early years of her life with her family traveling from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Fort Sill,
Oklahoma, Steward Air Force base, Tennessee, Winchester and Chattanooga, Tennessee, Rossville, Georgia, West
Frankford, Illinois, and Forts Richardson and Wayne Wright, Alaska. For Debbie however, home was always in
Indiana.

The life experience of being with both her father and her husband at the time of their respective military service
provided Debbie the love of country and the desire to also serve her country first as a Department of the Army
civilian, followed by civilian service with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) from which she
retired following 26 years of dedicated professional service. Many of Debbie’s lasting, enduring friendships with countless friends who also mourn her passing were a result of their shared love of country and the men and women
who served in defense of this nation and it’s Constitution.

Debbie’s federal service was distinguished through excellence in service. She received an award for Customer Service Excellence. For two years she assisted the agency learning center by serving as a facilitator, teaching a two day Customer Service Class. She was the employee of the quarter followed by recognition as Employee of the Year in 2004. She received a Certificate of Appreciation from the General Services Administration for her contributions and support for both to that agency and DFAS for the finalization and organizational moves associated with the renovation of the Major General Emmet J. Bean Federal Center. Debbie received a Certificate of Appreciation for Dedication and Contributions to the DFAS Emergency Response Team in 2005. Debbie was also recognized as Employee of the Quarter for Standards and Compliance in May 2010. She also received multiple performance awards throughout her career.

Debbie was always the Directorate Social Gathering Planner and for three years she would find a needy family at Christmas and the directorate would purchase gifts and food for them so they would have a Happy Holiday.

Debbie had two leisure time passions that she absolutely loved to pursue. Her first passion was cooking and
baking cakes of all different types of food, especially Lasagna; and she loved watching the Food Network channel
and replicating many of their recipes. Her second passion was fishing, which she found to be quiet and relaxing.
She enjoyed fishing so much that on many occasions she would continue to fish while it rained while her husband
and sons waited in the car because she wasn’t done fishing.

Debbie’s first love was by far her family which included her husband Mike, her parents, her brothers and sisters,
her children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces. Her love for Mike was and remains a wonderful love story worth telling and re-telling so that future generations of her family will come to understand what defines real, true love.  As her father once remarked, Mike and Debbie’s 42 years of marriage was really a 42 year long honeymoon.
Such was the kind of love that ran throughout the entire family, from one generation to the next.

Debbie was born on August 30, 1955, to Donald Ray Canaday and Wilma Jane (Lee), in Benton, Illinois. She was
predeceased by her husband Michael Jay Russel, mother Wilma Jane (Lee) Hilderbrand and her brothers William
Keith Canaday, and Rocky Lee Canaday. Debbie is survived by her sons, Craig Russell (Cylee), and Scott Russell
(Vanessa), and her grandchildren Hailey Russell, Deacon Russell, Conner Russell, and Alexis Russell. She is also
survived by her father, Donald Ray Canady (Sharon), her sisters Karen Crowe (Mark), LaRee Oris (Rich), Mary
Clemenz, (Kurt), and her brother Timothy Canaday (Celia).

Debbie was woman of unconquerable character, integrity, faith, and love. She was fierce in her love and loyalty to
both family and friends alike. She had an unshakeable belief in her Savior. She was the rock of her family from
which other family members anchored their faith to. She provided gentle and loving guidance to her children and
grandchildren to enable their future success. She provided warmth, kindness and generosity to those in need and
she was the sister who rallied to the side of her siblings in times of challenge and change. Though we mourn her
passing, we rejoice in the life she lead and the time we all spent in knowing her and loving her.

Debbie was a member of Sunnyside Road Baptist Church at 6102 Sunnyside Road, Oklandon, IN 46236. Her
calling will take place on Monday, January 29 th , 2018 at 3:00 pm am followed by a celebration of her life service at
4:00 pm. Both services will take place at the Church.

Debbie chose to be cremated and her ashes spread with her husband’s at a location that was of a special,
sentimental meaning to their family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Debbie’s loving son, Scott Russell at 6847 West Odessa
Way, McCordsville, Indiana 46055. All contributions will go to defray the cost of the service.