Debra passed away unexpectedly  Nov. 14

Debra Louise Benbow, MSN, FNP-BC, PhD (c) was born on August 5, 1955, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina to Tommie Lee and Helen Benbow. God saw fit to call her home on Saturday, November 14, 2015. The third of six children, Debra began to follow in her mother’s footsteps and developed a love for the field of nursing. It would shape her entire life. Debra graduated from East Forsyth High School in 1973 and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Winston-Salem State University in 1977. She also received her Master of Science degree in Nursing from Winston-Salem State in 2005. At the time of her death, Debra was in the final stages of completing her dissertation to fulfill the requirements for a Ph.D. in Nursing from Hampton University. After becoming a registered nurse in 1977, Debra began her career at Baptist Hospital where she was a Staff Nurse in the Intensive Care Trauma Unit, Organ Donor Coordinator and Primary Nurse in Psychiatry. Debra credited her experiences during her eight years at Baptist Hospital in shaping a love for Mental Health Nursing. Debra believed in nursing education and the need to effectively prepare future nurses. In 2003, she joined faculty at Winston-Salem State as an adjunct instructor and skills lab coordinator. In 2005, she became Assistant Professor of Psychiatric Nursing, teaching freshman through senior level nursing students. Debra held Master Teacher status at the University and was the recipient of the Joseph E. Patterson Excellence in Teaching Award in 2007. In 2011, she received the distinguished WSSU Nursing Alumni Trailblazer Award. Not only was Debra passionate about formal nursing education, she believed that communities at large, particularly African-American communities, deserved quality information and care. To that end, she established her company, Behavioral Health Consultants. Through it, she provided consultation, education and training to agencies and providers of behavioral health care. Additionally, the company provided services to the community through workshops, consultations, classes and support groups.

Debra is preceded in death by her father, Tommie Lee Benbow, and her sister, Darlene Lynell Benbow.  Her memory and legacy are cherished by her daughter Candice Marie Benbow; mother, Helen Benbow; three brothers: Darryl, Derrick (Janet), Dean Sr. (Gloria); one sister: DeVera; four aunts: Gertrude, Wilhemenia (Willie Sr.), Dora, Trusell; one uncle: Freddie; a host of family members and friends. Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 21, 2015 at First Waughtown Missionary Baptist Church at 1:00pm. Visitation will begin at 12:00pm. Winston-Salem State University faculty, staff, students and alumni are encouraged to wear red, nursing coats or WSSU pins and sit in the section reserved for the University.