To everyone that knew her, Debra Benson was a bright and joyful soul that absolutely lit up the room, and made those near her smile. Honestly, she was the most cheerful and sweetest woman I have ever known. I can count on one hand the times I’ve seen her less than cheerful, and even then, she was an advocate of love and encouragement to everyone around her. She was and will likely remain the guiding light of our family. As a grandmother, her grandchildren brought her so much love and joy. I know that her memory will hold strong in her grandchildren’s hearts as they grow. That sort of grandmotherly love lingers long and unfaded in the hearts of grandchildren. Her last year was a difficult one, beginning with a cancer diagnosis and followed by the death of her father and our patriarch, Edward Furman. Courtesy of COVID, our family dinners had stopped and her medical issues prevented us from seeing her very often. The few times I’ve seen her this past year, you’d never know what she was going through or how much she was struggling. Even wearing a surgical mask, you could see her smile reach her eyes. She was always smiling. Now, a year later, her hidden struggles and quiet suffering are over. She has found peace. I’m thankful that in the COVID era, she was able to spend this recent Christmas with her family and grandbabies. It had to have been the absolute best day of the last year for her. The days to come will be difficult, but I can find some comfort in the realization that she will be happily reunited with family members we’ve lost. We love you Aunt Debra. So very, very much.
