Deborah Elizabeth Rayls, 70, of Flora, Indiana went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 6:15am after a courageous battle with cancer. She left this world peacefully, surrounded by her loving family.
Debbie was born on October 30, 1955 to Darvel Harner and Shirley (Smith) McCartney. She met her husband Thomas Elsworth Rayls in 1970 at a skating rink in Kokomo. Debbie and Tom went on to have 3 daughters, Darvenia, Beth and Cynthia.
In her early career, Debbie worked as a dedicated and compassionate nurse’s aide at a nursing home. Later in life she focused on children’s ministry, caretaking for her grandchildren, and spending time with family. She had a passion for serving and teaching children through Sunday School ministry, Good News Clubs in schools and supporting her husband’s bus ministry. She had a deep love for God and for others, often making personal sacrifices to be a blessing to others. She would always make sure both their physical and spiritual needs were met, often feeding kids that she served who didn’t have enough to eat.
In her spare time, Debbie enjoyed fishing, playing (cheating at) Euchre and other games, taking family trips to Michigan, and spending time with her kids and grandkids.
Debbie had a beautiful smile, an infectious laugh, a warm hug, and a listening ear. Her stubbornness could only be outweighed by her fierce loyalty, deep love, and unfathomably forgiving heart. She would often be heard narrating her chores through improvised songs and making silly jokes with her loved ones.
Debbie was a devoted mother, grandmother, and wife and navigator to her loving husband Tom. They would have celebrated 52 years of marriage on March 30th. Tom and Debbie never met a stranger and would often make friends with people they encountered wherever they went.
Debbie was a deep well of knowledge on all matters regarding the family tree and family happenings, and she always valued spending time with both immediate and extended family as often as possible. She will be dearly missed by her family and loved ones.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Shirley McCartney (William McCartney); her father, Darvel Harner; her brothers, Edwin Harner and Charles Harner; her sister-in-law Judy Daugherty (Kevin Daugherty); and her brothers-in-law, Ralph Rayls (Pam Rayls), Larry Mohler and Jim Davenport.
She is survived by her husband, Thomas Rayls; her daughters, Darvenia Smith (David Smith), Beth Rayls, and Cynthia Rodman (Nicholas Rodman); her grandchildren, Alec Smith, Alessandra Chou (Brayden Chou), Alannah Smith, Rebekah Rodman, Eliana Rodman, Maya Rodman, and Joshua Rodman; her sister, Janet Wooten (Tim Wooten); her sisters-in-law, Theresa Mohler, Joni Davenport, Sharon Loshnowsky (Mardie Loshnowsky), Carolyn Maxwell (Lowell Maxwell), Marie Rayls (wife of the late Ralph Rayls) and Michelle Harner; her brother, Allen Harner; and a multitude of nieces, nephews and cousins whom she adored.
A funeral service will be Friday, April 3, 2026 at Ellers Mortuary and Cremation Center, 3400 S. Webster St., Kokomo, at 1:00 PM, with visitation from 10:00 AM until the time of service. Interment will be held at Kokomo Memorial Park, 1300 East North Street, Kokomo, immediately following the funeral.
The family would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Salter, Dr. Buszek and the rest of her oncology team at Community MD Anderson Cancer Center – Kokomo for their dedicated care of Debbie through her battle with cancer. We would also like to thank the staff at Community Hospital North and the Palliative Care Team for their kind and compassionate care in her final days.
