Obituary of Deborah L. Tally

Deborah Lee Tally, age 73, of Bath, NY, passed away on November 27, 2024 at Sayre Hospital.  She is survived by her loving devoted husband of 29 years, Rev. John Gould of Bath, NY, her mother Janice Slack of Canandaiqua, NY; step children, Amanda Karns, Nate Gould (Natalie Hall) and Julia Gould (Melissa) and a step brother James Slack.  She had 16 grandchildren and a great granddaughter.  She is predeceased by her daughter Stacy Phillips, her granddaughter Taylor Phillips, her step-father George Slack and her sister Linda.  Debbi was born on 1/13/1951 in Bath, New York to Jan and Jack Tally.  She graduated from Hammondsport, NY High School Class of 1968.  As a teenager she was selected as Miss Pulteney Fire Department.  She also took cosmetology courses and worked for a time as a hair dresser.  Then she took some criminology courses at Corning Community College and worked for the Hammondsport Police Department.  Next she got a security job at Corning Inc. where she worked for 31 years before retirement.

Debbi was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 8.  As an adult she ran diabetes support groups in two different communities for 25 years.  She ran over 10 diabetes information health fairs for this area of New York.  

Debbi since her teenage years had a strong belief in God that got her through some difficult times.  She said her prayers every day.  She was an active member of Centenary United Methodist Church in Bath.  She had a delightful sense of humor and loved to make people smile.  She treasured all the deer she counted over the years and her collection of over 50 stuffed Koalas.  A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, 12/14/24 at Centenary Methodist Church, 3 West Washington Blvd. in Bath.  Visitation hours will start at 10:30 AM with a memorial service at 11:00 AM, and a luncheon at 12:00 PM and the burial at Pleasant Valley Cemetery will follow at 1:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the American Diabetes Association.