Deborah Bethea

Life Reflections

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain and suffering.

Well done, my good and faithful servant.

The late Ms. Deborah Mattie Bethea quietly transition away from her earthly home to her heavenly home on Friday afternoon, February 07, 2025, at Maryview Medical Center Portsmouth, VA. She was born April 18, 1955, in Norfolk, VA, to the late Mr. Leroy Bethea Sr. and Eleanor J. Bethea. 

Ms. Deborah spent many years of her work history working in the community to give back to those who were in need. Ms. Deborah was educated in the Norfolk Public School system. She was a member of the Portsmouth Senior Station, where she had many friends and took pleasure in greeting her friends by saying, Hi, girlfriend. “At the Senior station, she never met a stranger. She enjoyed participating in many activities and events. She would win Bingo every time. Ms. Deborah loved going to the Dollar Tree, and when things were no longer a dollar, in her famous words, “They should feel ashamed of themselves’. Ms. Deborah was a collector of almost anything, books, jewelry, and pocketbooks were her favorite. In her quiet time, she enjoys color art, word search, knitting, and watching Western, which is her favorite. She would watch movies of John Wayne for hours. Ms. Deborah loved her community and loved being outdoors with her caregiver, planting her yearly garden, fishing, picking strawberries and grapes, and dolphin watching.  Ms. Deborah loved that the caregiver's family adopted her into the family. She loved the summer trips to Myrtle Beach, SC, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Ga.

Ms. Deborah rendered her life to the Lord as a member of God’s Prepared Words Outreach Ministry Church, Pastor Essie E. Stephen of Norfolk, VA, where she served for many years as a faithful member. Ms. Deborah loves the Lord and loves going to church. It was always a pleasure to hear her sing her favorite song, “Break Every Chain,” when pushing past every health battle. She participated in her church outreach Ministry, feeding the homeless by providing food and clothes, which was a passion of hers. Ms. Deborah was faithful in serving her church until her health battle ended. 

She was preceded in death by one daughter, Eleanor Parker, four half-brothers, Vernon Bethea, William Edward Bethea, Leroy Bethea Jr., and Wilson V. Bethea Sr., and one half-sister, Mildred Barge.  She leaves to cherish in loving memories one half-brother, Robert L. Bethea of Chesapeake, VA, and a half-sister of New York, Verona Ware(James); three precious grandsons she came to love so very much, Tikeyon Bethea, Rodell Barrett, and their mother Cassandra Jackson, and Isreal Parker the son of Eleanor Parker; and a host of nieces and nephews. Other relatives and friends, such as Mark Baldwin, for all the Sunday newspapers, and Lorianne Ahmed, for the last sugar-free cookies, Deborah leaves to cherish in memories her church family, the family God blessed her with: Melissa Davis, Omar Bakari, Jeffrey Bakari, and a very special God sent caregiver, sister, and friend, Loretta Bakari who kept her promise and comforted and supported her in her heavenly journey.

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