Deborah "Debbie" Dean

Deborah "Debbie" Roberts Dean, 87, of Delaware passed away peacefully early Monday morning, January 26, 2026, at her home, surrounded by family.

Debbie was loved by all for her kind, loving, "always there-for-you" soul. She was known as Momcat, Grandcat, and Great Grandcat ("GiGi") reflecting her natural maternal warmth. Most folks knew her as Grandcat.

Debbie was born November 1, 1938, in Derby, Connecticut to the late Rev. Philip Woodford Roberts and Georgia Lyon Roberts. Her arrival into the world coincided with the original radio broadcast of the "War of the Worlds", documenting a fake Martian invasion, and the "Race of the Century", when Seabiscuit defeated the heavily favored Triple Crown winner War Admiral. Excitement was in the air.

As the daughter of an Army chaplain, Debbie spent her childhood moving. She lived in many places - from Fort Benning, Georgia, to South Dakota's Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, to post-WWII Munich, Germany - leading to a taste for travel and a knack for creating fun anywhere. Following graduation from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, she met her soulmate Ashby Dean, an Air Force fighter pilot, on a blind date in Providence, RI. They never looked back. They raised their three young children on hard work at the family gift shop near Brown University and gourmet picnics at Narragansett beach.

In 1973, they went from city life to country life in Delaware County, moving to an historic farmhouse outside of Bellepoint. She settled down to a new life of 4H, the Delaware County Fair, raising snow pea pods, and travel sports. Grandcat loved to host fun-filled, whimsical Halloween parties and impromptu sledding days. After moving into town in 2001, her Horse Parade lawn parties on Euclid Avenue became legendary.

She was an accomplished knitter, creating complex Irish fisherman sweaters and colorful scarves. In her late 60s, she fulfilled a lifelong dream to learn to sail and became the historian of the Alum Creek Sailing Club. Debbie read every day, never missed an opportunity to dance, and loved to laugh and try new things. But above all, Grandcat loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren - baking, playing games, crafting and sharing stories.

Debbie was a devoted member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Delaware and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Left to cherish the memory of her beautiful smile, kindness and sense of fun, are her children, Ann Elizabeth (Stephen) Lovett of Washington DC, Mark (Amy) Dean of Athens, Ohio, and Jessica Hamon of Delaware; grandchildren, Nicole (Shawn) Parfitt, Rosey (Travis) Conner, Paige (Matt) Kincaid and Dusty Hamon, Megan (Adam) McCutcheon, Kyle (Caelyn) Dean, Skye and Sean Lovett; and 4 great-grandchildren (Lincoln, Callie, Kayden and Grant).

In addition to her parents, Debbie was preceded in death by her loving husband Charles Ashby Dean, brothers Joel and Connie Roberts, and her son-in-law Kevin Hamon.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, February 5, 2026, from 3:00 - 6:00 pm at the Snyder Funeral Center, 101 Valleyside Drive at W. William Street, Delaware. Funeral mass will be celebrated on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 10:30 am at St. Mary Catholic Church, 82 E. William Street, Delaware, with Rev. Fr. Denis Kogozi officiating. Burial will follow at St. Mary Cemetery. The St. Mary Bereavement Ministry will then host a luncheon in the Snyder Funeral Center Community Room. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Debbie's memory may be made to The Arts Castle, 190 W. Winter Street, Delaware, OH 43015 or by visiting www.artscastle.org/donate/

The Snyder Funeral Center is honored to serve the Dean family.

To share a fond memory of Debbie or to offer condolences to her family, please visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com