Debbie Nefay Briley

First Lady Debbie Nefay (McGee) Briley was born on November 16, 1950 in Independence, Louisiana. to the late Jim McGee, Sr. and Mother Beatrice (Perkins) McGee. She was the second born in a family that grew to have 10 children when her mother remarried to become Mother Beatrice Johnson. As the eldest girl she spent her time helping to raise her siblings and cherishing the lessons she learned from her grandmother, Mother Cora Perkins Bell.

Dating under the watchful guidance of her parents, meant dates with her suitors usually involved family activities such as picking strawberries or cleaning chickens. After graduating from Burgher High School in 1969 she moved from Independence to Columbus OH. There she lived with her aunt, Bishop Dr. Christine C. McGee, and her brother, Jim McGee. She spent her leisure time sitting outdoors talking on the front steps of her aunt's home until one day she met her brother's best friend, the late Bishop Dr. Malcom C. Briley II.

First Lady Debbie was a charismatic beauty who found it easy to strike up and hold conversation with acquaintances and strangers alike. It was of no surprise that after only a few meetings, the late Bishop Briley was smitten with his future wife. When recalling their courtship, the late Bishop Briley told of how his mind would always be on her. So much so he would often be caught staring off into space just thinking about her. Whatever space God places in a man's heart for his helpmate, was well and truly filled by First Lady Debbie. The pivotal part of their romance story involved her moving from the back seat to the front, a position in Bishop Briley's life she never relinquished.

After a three-year courtship First Lady Debbie and Bishop Briley were joined in Holy matrimony on August 8, 1972. God blessed their marriage with three beautiful children named Malcom III, Anika, and Ashley. Each of her children were precious to First Lady Debbie. She enjoyed spending time watching movies with them and hearing stories from their times apart. She loved to watch scary movies despite her tendency to be easily frightened by them. She was excited to see herself on screen when she appeared in the opening title sequence of the Emmy winning show, HitRECord on TV.

First Lady Debbie spent her youth as protector to her siblings which provided her with practice for being a mother to three. The same recipes she learned in her mother and grandmother's kitchen, were enjoyed by all. When not caring for others, she enjoyed calling around to family and friends to chat about the past and present. Here compassion and willingness to listen aided in her ministry to share the Word of God.

First Lady Debbie's early experience within the church was gained while attending Zion Traveler's Baptist Church in Louisiana as a child. Later as an adult, she joined the House of God Church under the direction of Mother Dyer. She along with her husband Bishop Dr. Malcom C. Briley II were founding members of the Way of Holiness Church, Inc under the direction of Bishop Dr. Christine C. McGee and Bishop Frank H. McGee in Columbus, Ohio. She was trained at and attended the Way of Holiness Church from 1979 to 1991 when she and her husband were led to begin their own church, The Word Outreach Evangelistic Ministries (T.W.O.E.M.)

First Lady Debbie often referred to herself as "Last Lady" when speaking of the responsibilities and thankless labors left to the position of First Lady of a ministry. She often had to take on the tasks other members were not willing or able to, including Sunday School Teacher, Praise Team, Scripture reader and so on, filing in gaps where needed. "I wear many hats" she would often say. She provided balance and comfort to the Pastor, her husband Bishop Briley when the pressures of shepherding became rough. She was friend, sister and mother to her congregation.

She was a powerful force to the ministry that was often behind the scenes. She moved more to the forefront when she spearheaded and served on the Trustee Board of the Women In God ministry also known as WIG-WOEM. Women In God services were an opportunity for the women of the Word Outreach Evangelistic Ministries to come together to share their love for God and support one another through the trials of their daily lives.

A large part of their ministry required a lot of travel and First Lady Debbie would devotedly accompany her husband wherever the ministry led him. To brining balance to that life on the road, First Lady Briley would encourage her husband to take vacation trips or make stops that would help rejuvenate them both. She loved to visit beautiful locations where she could spend time talking, seeing the sites and dining at restaurants with her family. A lot of times those trips included the family of her dearest cousin First Lady Linda Rowan.

Staying faithful in the ministry up to the end, Bishop Dr. Malcom C. Briley II proceeded his wife home to glory on December 14, 2021.

After fifty years of constant love and companionship, First Lady Debbie N. Briley followed her husband's lead for the last time when she passed on January 05, 2022 at Mt Carmel East Hospital, surrounded by their children.

"I am blessed to be here" were some of the last words she said to her children while she still could. She will be sadly missed by her children, grandchildren, all of her siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends for she came from a very close knit family.

She is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Louis Perkins, Sr., Mother Cora Perkins Bell, and Brother Will Bell. She is also preceded in death by her father, Jim McGee Sr., her parents Mother Beatrice Johnson and Brother Emanuel Johnson, Sr. fraternal grand-parents, Elizabeth and Luther McGee, Sr., her brothers, Sammy McGee, and Emanuel Johnson, Jr.

She is survived by her children -Malcom III (Shannon), Anika, and Ashley Briley; Aunts- Bishop Dr. Christine C. McGee (Elder Frank McGee), Columbus, OH, Pastor Clementine Bean and Elder Lucille Abbott of New Orleans, LA, Ora Lee Washington of Laurel, MS, her uncle, Deacon Jackie (Co-Pastor, Johnnie) Perkins, Columbus, OH, her siblings, Jim McGee, Gregory (Shanda)McGee, Associate Pastor Genia (Deacon James) Hendrix, Deacon Claiborne (Sister Sharon Denise) Johnson, and Ida Johnson all of Columbus, Ohio, Dwendolyn (James Porter) Thomas of Pickerington, OH, Jerry Johnson of Independence, LA, and Jerry Simmons of Columbus, OH. She is also survived by her brothers, Jimmy Clifton McGee of Laurel, MS, Ervin Simmons of Smyrna, GA, and grandchildren Erika, Malcom IV, Dionna, Micaelyn, Paige, Jerrica, Savonna, Sumara, Izaiah, some long standing church members including Associate Pastor Benny Thompson, Deacon Coreon Scott, Sister Jakeema Scott, Sister Hazel Comer, Brother George White and a great host of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews, cousins, and friends. She also leaves to mourn her very close first cousin, First Lady Linda Diane Rowan and Bishop Jackie Rowan, Sr. of Ponchatoula, LA, and her close friend and member of their church, Sister Diana Saunders of Columbus, OH.