Deborah Dee Ashby, 71, of Gilman, died on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at Iowa River Hospice Home in Marshalltown.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 am on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with Pastor Jim Bonser, pastor of the Stavanger Friends Church in LeGrand, officiating. Interment will follow at Bethel Cemetery near Lynnville. A luncheon will be held at the Elks Lodge in Grinnell.

Visitation will begin at 2:00 pm on Wednesday at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell and her family will receive friends from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm.

Memorials may be designated to the Stavanger Friends Church or to Above + Beyond Cancer and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with her family online at www.smithfh.com.

Deborah Dee Benson was born the oldest of four children to Elmer Eugene Benson and Ardis Ann (Olson) Benson in Marshalltown, Iowa. She was raised on "Highland Herefords" family farm near Dunbar, Iowa, where she was active in the Dunbar Rustlers 4-H club, showing beef cattle. She graduated from LDF High School in LeGrand and enjoyed cheering on the Warhawks. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and Masters in Family and Consumer Science from Iowa State University. She married the love of her life, Michael Ashby, from Grinnell on August 24, 1974. To this union were born two children, Courtney and Chase. She enjoyed watching her kids participate in 4-H showing beef cattle and attending their children's other various activities.

Deb was a licensed Dietician for 41 years and was employed by Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center. She retired on November 28, 2015. During her retirement years she was a consultant dietitian at Sunny Hill Care Center in Tama.

Deb was a lifelong member of Stavanger Friends Church, where she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and served on several church committees. She volunteered at the Gilman Public Library, was a Spiritual Care Volunteer at the Marshalltown hospital, an ex-officio board member for Marshalltown Meals on Wheels, and other various nutritional groups.

Deb enjoyed reading, gardening, horses, trivia nights, and especially crocheting. Many of her crocheted pieces were gifted. after competing at the Iowa State Fair. She loved attending her grandkid's activities and being with family and friends.

Deb is survived by her husband, Mike Ashby of Gilman; daughter, Courtney (Jamie) Renshaw of Elkhart, IA and their children, Hannah and Blake; and son, Chase (Mary) Ashby of Windham, OH and their children, Justine, Lylah-Lou, and Virgil. She was preceded in death by her parents, parents in law Robert William and Mary Margaret Ashby, her sister Ann Rubenbauer, and numerous other family and friends.

Deb's family would like to thank her medical teams for their care and compassion during her journey over the last 16 months.