Deborah Blackman Fontenot

Deborah Blackman Fontenot, 60, of Orange, Texas, passed away surrounded by loved ones on September 23, 2023, in Orange, Texas.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, September 29, 2023, at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City, Texas. Officiating will be Reverend Lynn Ashcraft.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, September 28, 2023, at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City, Texas.

Born in Orange, Texas, on August 31, 1963, she was the daughter of William S. Jackson and Dolores Chapman Jackson. The way Debbie lived her life and the place she held in the lives of those that knew her could never be condensed onto a page. She was a member of the Little Cypress Mauriceville graduating class of 1981 and remained a lifelong resident of Orange. She grew up as a member of North Orange Baptist church and, in her most recent years, attended First Baptist Church of Orange. Debbie was very strong in her faith, which got her through her trials while giving her peace and comfort in her final days - because she knew where she was headed. She had a love for life, determination to live it precisely the way she wanted, and the ability to make everyone around her better for knowing her. One thing everyone can agree on is that she was put on this earth to be a mama, and her children were her world. Before she became a mother to her own, she mothered her baby brother, who was her pride and joy. She was not only an amazing mother to her own children, but she was “Momma Debbie” to many! She was also the best Yayay - her grandbabies were her reason to fight. They will all tell you she gave the best back scratches and cuddles. She was a proud “late life dance mom” to Aubrey Kate and many others. She also loved cheering Mason Gray on at all of his sporting events. She was the glue, everyone’s rock, the center of all of the holidays and family events - that she loved going over the top for!! She had a grit and independence about her that never wavered. She made her way up in the corporate world and made it her life’s purpose to provide for and take care of her children, a trait she never stopped carrying with her. She always rooted for the underdog, saw the best in people, and made it a point to employ those with a rough past. She made her own rules, firm in her beliefs, she never took no for an answer. She was meticulous in the way she took care of herself, her loved ones, and her surroundings. The pride she took in every aspect of her life was seen and felt in everything she touched. She had been battling a diagnosis for over six years, and in that time, she never missed an opportunity to be a mom, a Yayay, a wife, a daughter, or a best friend. Every second was precious to her, and she treated every day as such. No matter where her sickness took her, she never had it in her to quit. We hope that everyone can remember her by her larger-than-life personality, how she always ran on “Debbie time,” the way she would tear up the dance floor when she heard her Zydeco, her second-to-none handwriting, her cackling laugh, her seamless ability to know exactly when to land a joke in an inappropriate situation, her out of this world gift wrapping, her boldness to say how she felt and be exactly who she was, the way she looked at her husband, the undefinable bond she had with her children, the way everything in her lit up when she saw her grandbabies and every laugh that was had with her.

She is survived by her loving husband, Dale Ray Fontenot, Sr.; her parents, William and Dolores Jackson; her daughter, Jessica Reinhardt and husband, Micah; her son, Eric Blackman; her bonus son, Grant Dawkins; her grandchildren, Aubrey Kate Blackman, Mason Reinhardt, Jackson Reinhardt, and Memphis Reinhardt; her brother, Wade Jackson and wife, Blake-Leigh; and her nephew, Parker Jackson along with numerous other loving friends and family.

Serving as pallbearers will be Eric Blackman, Johnathon Kellis, Micah Reinhardt, Grant Dawkins, Wade Jackson, and Robert Johnson. Honorary pallbearers are Skipper Yeaman, Glen Peterson, Roy Yeaman, Scottie Jackson, and Harry Still.