Debbie Jo Benfield Brown Jones Mclain

Debbie Jo Benfield Brown Jones McLain, 61 years old, died on Thursday, September 7, 2017, at the Glenn A. Kiser Hospice House, Salisbury, after a battle with ALS, aka: Lou Gehrig’s disease. She was born November 22, 1955, in Mooresville. Her parents are Rachel Rowe Benfield of Kannapolis and the late Richard Alexander Benfield.

She was a 1974 graduate of A. L. Brown High School. Debbie worked 14 years with the North Carolina Department of Corrections in Salisbury as a Correctional Program Assistant II and prior to her disability was employed for 13 years with Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont in Charlotte as an Investigative Specialist in the Loss Prevention Department. Debbie had her Private Investigator’s license with her own part time company of McLain Investigations in Kannapolis for 5 years.

Debbie is predeceased in addition to her father, by her son, Travis Clinton Brown. She is survived in addition to her mother, by her loving and caring daughter, Tammy Jo Gulledge and husband, Rodney; her beautiful granddaughter Baylee Jo all the home in Rockwell, her sister Dianne Benfield Fulk and husband, retired Reverend J. M. (Joe) of Concord; her nephew, Reverend Joseph M. Fulk, III and wife Elaine; (2) great nephews, Riley and Quart; two (2) great nieces; Lily and Anna Grace all of Lexington; her nephew Baron Alexander Fulk and wife, Maureen (Babe); three (3) great nieces, Cammie, Makayla and Lucy all of Holly Springs; and by her cousin, Richard “Gene” Benfield of the home in Rockwell.

Debbie was a member of Mt. Mitchell Methodist Church, but attended First Presbyterian Church when able to physically attend both in Kannapolis. She loved her family, friends and her Lord. God blessed Debbie with two loving children, Travis and Tammy, but later in her life, he blessed her with an adorable granddaughter, Baylee Jo who placed sunshine in her heart during her journey in dealing with the cure disease of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s).

Her funeral services will be conducted on Sunday, September 10, 2017, at 2:00 pm at Mt. Mitchell United Methodist Church, Kannapolis conducted by Reverend J. M. (Joe) Fulk. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8:00 pm Saturday, September 9, 2017, at Lady’s Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations made to the research in finding a cure for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s) will be greatly appreciated by the family, and also the Jim "Catfish" Hunter ALS Foundation and also Rowan Hospice & Palliative Care, 720 Grove Street, Salisbury, NC 28144.