Debra McGrail, 65

• Nickname: Debbie
• Added: 02-27-2026
• Died: Mar 24th, 2025

• Hometown: Auburn, NY

About Debra : My mother was a loving mother and grandmother but suffered terribly with alcohol addiction. She had the mentality of a child. She was simple. Her mother drank while she was pregnant for her and all of her siblings who were all scattered to different foster homes. She was one of the lucky ones and was raised in a good foster home and was well cared for. She met my father at just 21 years old and became pregnant and she was told to abort but she was never one to want to listen to authority. She was working in a work program for adults with disabilities with my father who was also mentally disabled. They decided to get married by a justice of the peace and went on to have 4 more children. 2 healthy and 2 with disabilities. Alcoholism hadn’t entered her life yet however she and her husband did divorce after their 4 th child. She had a very hard life and started drinking in her late 30’s. In her 40’s she had a grandson and loved to be around him but alcohol kept her from her family a lot. She struggled for years with her addiction but still somehow managed to make her children and (now 9) grandchildren know they were loved. She tried her best to show up. In and out of rehabs and hanging out with the wrong crowd made it difficult. Being raised Protestant, She always knew she loved God but never could really understand the faith and the difference between Catholics and Protestants. She did have a few years of sobriety where she chose to become Catholic “like her children” but I’m sure she didn’t fully grasp the faith. She never received her first communion but did go to confession. She eventually developed kidney and liver disease and leukemia. She was predeceased by a son when he was 33 and she never recovered from that loss. But she was with her 3 remaining children in the hospital when she was told she was dying. I was pregnant with her 9th grandchild and all she talked about was making it to meet him. God heard her prayers because I was giving birth to a new life as her life was slipping away. She received last rites and confession and slipped peacefully into a coma only to open her eyes once at the news and picture of the baby’s arrival. She died peacefully that evening with many divine mercies, 3 beautiful prayers, masses and rosaries offered for her. more... less...

Obituary or Eulogy: It is with profound sadness we announce the passing of Debra M. McGrail, 64, of Moravia. Debbie passed away Monday, March 24, 2025, surrounded by her loving children. Debbie was born in Auburn, NY on June 7, 1960, to the late Thomas and Ann Powers.  Debbie was predeceased by her son Robert Jones. Debbie had a love for animals and her flower garden and loved to tell stories of her many fond memories, especially of growing up on the Bean Farm in Moravia. She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.  Debbie is survived by her children, Sueann (David) Martin, Jennifer (Michael) Stearns and Steven Jones; her beloved grandchildren, Dominic, Philomena, Lucia, Adelina, Matteo, Pia and Rocco John Martin, Bradley and Nora Stearns; her four siblings and her dear friends, Bill and Bear and father to her children, Ronald Jones. A Mass of Chrisitan Burial will be held Tuesday, April 2, 2025, at noon in St. Patrick's Church, Aurora. Debbie will be laid to rest beside her loving son, Robert, whom she missed dearly. more... less...