Deborah L. Hathaway, age 68, of Greenville, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly at 12:32 pm on February 10, 2025, at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, following a month-long illness. She was born in Defiance, Ohio, on June 6, 1956, to the late Emmett Dairl and Elizabeth (Osborne) Blevins.
Deb was currently in her 43rd year of teaching, with 41 of those years dedicated to the Greenville City School District. Her last several years were focused on teaching language arts and social studies at Greenville Middle School. Deb also taught at the former Greenville Junior High, East and Gettysburg Elementary Schools, and Greenville High School. Early in her career, she taught adult education, assisting many individuals in obtaining their GED. Additionally, she taught elementary art for two years at Fort Loramie Local Schools in the 1980s. For the past 18 years, she also worked at Spirit EMS in the billing and dispatch department and as an administrative assistant to her son, Brian K. Deb was a proud 1974 graduate of Ayersville High School, a 1980 graduate of Miami University, and later earned her master’s degree from the University of Dayton in 2003.
Deb’s greatest pride was her family. She was always there to support them through their ups and downs, sharing in their many successes and being the first to rise to any occasion. She was a dedicated wife, mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
In her spare time, Deb enjoyed stained glass work, needlepoint, regular family gatherings, and the annual family trip to Holmes County. She also took great pleasure in conducting secondary interviews for driver and EMS candidates at Spirit EMS, where she often played the role of the patient.
Her passion for teaching was more than just a job; it was a love. She spent countless hours being up from before sunrise to staying until after sunset at school, committed to preparing to ensure the success of her thousands of students over the years. She often shared the daily belly laughs her students provided, which inspired her to continue teaching in a district she loved dearly. Deb ensured that her grandchildren achieved success throughout their schooling and was honored to personally deliver diplomas to two of them. Additionally, she proudly kept bricks from every school where she taught as they were torn down over the years. Deb took great pride in being second on the school seniority list in recent years, a testament to her enduring dedication and commitment to education.
Deb is preceded in death by her parents, as well as her grandparents: Loyd and Ella Blevins, Nathan and Retha Osborne, Lester and Florence Geeting, and Lloyd and Marguerite Hathaway. She is also preceded by her father and mother-in-law, John and Iris (Geeting) Hathaway Sr.; a granddaughter, Sarah Heeter; nephews Cory Blevins and Charles and Krista Zimmer; brother-in-law Keith Hathaway; and sister-in-law Myra Blevins.
She is survived by her husband, John R. Hathaway Jr., with whom she shared 49 years of marriage, having wed on September 13, 1975, in Defiance, Ohio. Other survivors include her two children, Brian K. (Audrey) Hathaway and Jaime (Travis) Burton, both of Greenville; brothers Mike (Cindy) Blevins of Defiance and Roger Blevins of Jamestown, TN; sister Rita (Chuck) Gehring of Defiance; brother-in-law Donald Hathaway of Greenville; sisters-in-law Diane (Kirk) Zimmer of Arcanum and Carol Hathaway of Greenville; grandchildren Johnathan (Emily) Heeter, Lydia Heeter, Naomi Hathaway and Landon Burton all of Greenville; and her great-grandson, Henry Heeter, whom she shared a birthday with and cherished spending every Saturday together, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
The Hathaway family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation for the exceptional care Deb received from the Spirit EMS staff and the compassionate doctors and nurses at Miami Valley Hospital. They are also grateful for the many thoughts and prayers from students, school staff, and friends. Special thanks are extended to the dedicated school administrators, including Superintendent Doug Fries, Principal Chris Mortensen, co-teacher Laura Davis, and many others for their support throughout her many years of teaching.
She was also grateful to her “other boss” at Spirit EMS, whom she affectionately referred to as her son, Aaron (Jama) Guthrie of Richmond, IN.
Deb was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by many.
A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Zechar Bailey Funeral Home in Greenville, with Pastor Sylvia McKibben officiating. A luncheon will follow at the John and Iris Hathaway Community and Education Center (next to Spirit EMS), located at 5464 State Route 49 South, Greenville.
Visitation will be held on Friday, February 14th, from 3-7 p.m. at the funeral home and again on Saturday, one hour prior to the services.
Memorial contributions, that will ensure Deb’s lifelong legacy continues, can be made to the Spirit EMS Community Fund, 5484 State Route 49 S., Greenville, OH 45331.
Condolences for the family may be sent to www.zecharbailey.com
