Deborah Sue Durrett Hamby

Deborah Sue Durrett Hamby
October 12, 1950 - October 11, 2025
Deborah Sue Durrett Hamby was born in Atlanta on October 12, 1950, to Douglas and Willie Durrett and grew up in East Point, Georgia. She graduated from Russell High School and was a career long employee of PPG Industries in SW Atlanta. Debbie was preceded in death by her parents, brother Doug Jr, and husband David O. Hamby III.
Debbie and David made Tyrone, Georgia, their home in 1987 where they became active, contributing members of the community and Hopewell Methodist Church. Like her mother, Debbie's focus was always on making the lives of others better. Many a rosemary chicken was delivered, an extended family and friends holiday meal prepared, platters and flowers arranged, church dinners cooked, shut-ins visited, breakfasts shared, prayers offered, Mitch-Easter egg hunts hosted (for generations of children), Goat Girl and Recycled Kids adventures enjoyed, birthdays celebrated, elderly widows and widowers cared for, and many other lives enriched beyond measure by Debbie. She was a joy to all who knew her. Most recently she helped establish, curate, and host the Tyrone Museum where her circle of close friends widened even further.
Debbie graduated peacefully into the arms of Jesus on October 11 and celebrated her 75th birthday the next morning in Heaven. She is survived by Keith Barber, daughters Deborah Hamby Heard (Jeff) and Melissa Hamby Tatum, cousin-sisters Judy Moon Boyce (Mike) and Jean Harrison Lieffers (Rex), grandchildren Jack Goins, Mitch Goins, Lauren McGee (Branden), Jacob Heard (Trish), Brook Heard-Smith (Matt), Justin Heard (Blaine) and honorary ones Chris (Michelle) and Abby Lee as well as several great grandchildren. To an extended number of those in later generations, related or not, she was affectionately known as Grand Debbie.
A Celebration of Debbie's Life will be held Saturday, October 25 at 11:00 am at Hopewell United Methodist Church in Tyrone, GA. Reception to follow. Interment will follow at 2:30 at Sharon Memorial Gardens on Senoia Road. The family will receive family and friends on Friday, October 24, 2025 from 5 o'clock until 7 o'clock at Parrott Funeral Home and Crematory.