Deborah Edson

EDSON, Ms. Deborah-age 68, of Flint, passed away Thursday, April 17, 2025 at Sparrow Hospital. Funeral services will be held 11:00am Saturday, May 3, 2025 with a 10:30am family hour at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 2109 Martin Luther King Ave., Flint, MI 48503. Calling hours are 1:00pm-6:00pm Friday, May 2, 2025 at Sheldon T. Banks Funeral Chapel, 3021 S. Dort Hwy., Flint, MI 48507. The final resting place for Ms. Edson will be Gracelawn Cemetery, Flint, MI.
Deborah Jean Edson was born in Flint, Michigan on July 28, 1956 to Emma and Jimmie Edson Jr. She graduated from Flint Central High School and spent a career working in the Flint Community Schools, mostly at Carpenter Road Elementary. She was a steward for the Service Employees International Union representing paraprofessionals and had a heart for working with children, many of whom would greet her years later because they knew she really cared about them. It was impossible for Deb to go anywhere in town without seeing someone she knew. Deb loved taking students to places like Mackinac Island and Mt. Holly to try new experiences. Deb enjoyed sports-especially softball, and she continued to play catcher even while heavily pregnant with her son Antwan. Deb was an active bowler in leagues such as Carl Johnson, Teresa Sanders, Foxy Ladies, and many others, which she did until the last few years of her life. She loved music, never hesitating to call out "that's my jam!" when a favorite song came on. She went to many Mother's Day Concerts at Fox Theatre in Detroit. Traveling to the blues festival in Mississippi was a highlight of every summer. Deb was devoted to her family, and there isn't anything she wouldn't do for her son, grandkids, and nieces and nephews. She loved to share a story and had an easy laugh-she had a devoted circle of friends and talked with them often. Deb also knew what she felt was right and would cuss out a person in a second who was treating someone else badly. Deb leaves behind her son, Antwan (Elizabeth) Edson and grandsons Kenneth and Miles of Flint; brother Michael Edson of Flint, sister Vernell Burton of Inkster, nephews DeMarcus Light of Flint, Trent Burton and niece Sandra Burton of Inkster, niece LaQuisha Kelly along with great-nephews D'Myas Threlkeld and Aiden Kelly; cousins Sheila Hawkins, Christiana Hawkins, Raymond (Michelle) Barton, Cameron and Ryan Barton, Carolyn Buckley and Rose Sanders, (all of Flint), Adrienne Nelson of Oregon; aunt Mae "Sue" Dyer of Georgia and Jackie Brown of Portland; sisters and brothers-in-law Linda Anthony, Patricia (Hutch) Anthony-Shinn, Herman (Stephanie) Anthony, and Michael Anthony (all of Flint); and in-laws Paul and Cheryl Jordan of Flint. There is a long list of other relatives who where special to Deb over the years. Deb had many dear friends including Vickie Crawford-Price, Gwen Barney, Carla Wilson, Bobbie Roberts, Carolyn Mitchell and her Carpenter Road crew. There are too many other wonderful friends to mention by name, but they all enriched her life greatly. Her good friend Jeanette Cook recently passed. She was preceded in death by her parents, Emma and Jimmie Edson Jr.; her partner, Leon Anthony; mother and father-in-law Rose and Ernest Anthony Sr.; brother Jimmie "Lawrence" Edson; brothers-in-law Ernest and Fred Anthony; aunts and uncles Dessie Mae Buckley, Alberta Pfifer, Dorothy Delmar, Johnnie "Clay" Nelson, Nannie Beard and Maude Barton, Howard Beard, and Harvey, James, and Cleve Nelson. The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Mclaren Specialty Select, Hurley ICU (especially Dr. Mohammed Berrou), and all the family and friends that visited, called, texted or sent prayers during her time in the hospital or nursing home.