Debra Jean (Canaday) Margraves

◦ Debra Jean Canaday Margraves, age 72 of Alba, TX, formerly of Paris TX died March 20th, 2025, in her home peacefully after a long battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. She was born August 11, 1952, in Sulphur Springs TX to Bill and Wysta Jean Canaday. She was preceded in death by her parents and two sisters, Sharon Denise Meredith and Pamela Kay Eaton and nephews, Jeremy Furr and Joshua Eaton.

◦ She is survived by her loving husband Joe Bob Margraves of Alba, formerly of Paris who was her loving caregiver until her death, loving children Christopher Dale Margraves and wife Amy of New Braunfels, Benjamin Joe Margraves and wife Betsy of Frisco and Jenna Renee Margraves and husband Marcus Koenig of McKinney, six grandchildren, Derek Margraves and wife Ariel of New Braunfels, Daren Margraves and Jadon Margraves of New Braunfels, Kurtis Margraves and Wyatt Margraves of Frisco, and Abbie Belle Koenig of McKinney, a special niece and nephew she helped raise after the deaths of her sisters, Tiffany LeMonte of Aventura, Florida and Billy Eaton of Paris, TX and a special “adopted granddaughter “, Victoria Simmons Russell of Nacogdoches, TX and numerous special cousins and friends of Alba, TX.

◦ She grew up in Mesquite, TX and graduated from Mesquite High School in 1969. Shortly after, she married the love of her life, Joe Bob Margraves on September 5, 1969, and moved where he was stationed in Phoenix, Az during the height of the Vietnam war. The two of them created a story worth telling. For 56 years they blazed trails and took roads rarely taken. They committed themselves to sticking together and their love withstood the test of time, trials of life and is a true testament to what marriage should be. While in Phoenix, she worked as a nurse in two different Doctors offices. After he was honorably discharged, they returned to Texas and started their family. She was the exhibiting stained glass artist for the State of Texas at the State Fair of Texas and also taught stained glass artistry for several years in the Dallas area in the 1980’s. They returned to Paris, TX in 1985 where they became business owners and she also became heavily involved in Paris Community Theater and their church, Calvary United Methodist. She acted in a documentary about the life William Owens (she played his mother) the famous author from the Paris area. It was filmed in the Edgewood community and Paris area. She had to learn how to play an organ, plow with a mule, and pick poke salad for the movie.

She returned to college at Paris Junior College and earned an RN degree in nursing. She was employed by St Joseph Hospital, later known as PRMC where she worked as an RN until her retirement in 2014. In 2010, she was named Lamar County Nurse of the Year. Her love of nursing was Hospice and ICU.

◦ In her retirement years, she enjoyed spending time with her family, cruising with special friends she made in Alba and Dallas and just being at the lake with family and friends.

◦ She loved her children, grandchildren, and all of her family and friends deeply. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Mayo Clinic Neurology (www.give.mayoclinic.org), UT Neurology Research (https://www.utsouthwestern.edu) or CurePSP (psp.org). The family would like to thank Dr. Deepak Muthappa of Paris, Dr. Plotkin of Tyler and Heart to Heart Hospice in Sulphur Springs, especially Christi Tyson and Taryn Clayton for their wonderful care.

Pallbearers will be grandchildren Derek Margraves, Daren Margraves, Jadon Margraves, Kurtis Margraves, Wyatt Margraves, and Abbie Koenig.

Services will be held at Bright-Holland Funeral Home on Monday, March 24th at 2:00 p.m. with The Reverend Betty Clement and Dr. Kelly Burton officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow in Pleasant Grove Cemetery North in Hopkins County, TX.