Deborah Barfield

Service

Wednesday, December 10, 2025 |Wake: 10:00 a.m. |Service Time: 11:00 a.m.

Howell Funeral Home Chapel|10220 Guilford Road| Jessup, Maryland 20794

Interment

Glenwood Cemetery| Washington, DC

Obituary

Deborah Kay Barfield made her gentle arrival into the world on March 16, 1958 in Snow Hill, North Carolina. She was the beloved daughter of Henry and Mae Suggs and grew up surrounded by the warmth of her siblings: Virgil, Otis and Walter Suggs, and her sisters Jennifer Suggs and Patricia Epps.

Deborah was a firm believer in Christ and worshipped faithfully in the Baptist Church. Her love for the Lord shaped her character and guided the way she cared for others. Her faith was not only something she professed, it was something she lived.

A gifted student with a remarkable mind, Deborah graduated from Ballou Senior High School at the age of sixteen. She continued to excel academically, earning an Associate of Arts Degree in Accounting from Prince George’s Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She also completed coursework at Howard University and earned finance certifications through Harvard Business School and the University of Maryland College Park. Education was one of her greatest joys and a lifelong pursuit.

Deborah married her beloved husband, Charles Barfield, and together they shared eighteen years of love and partnership. They first met at Zion Hill Baptist Church where their shared devotion blossomed into a life filled with faith, companionship and simple joys.

She was a devoted mother to her daughters, Robyn Nesmith and Sabrinah Braswell, and the sweetest grandmother to her grandsons, Connor and Colson. Deborah created a tradition with her grandchildren that they will always cherish: seeing the newest movie together, choosing a special toy afterward and ending the day with lunch. She volunteered in their schools, joined them on field trips and supported them with her whole heart.

Throughout her career, Deborah contributed her talents to both finance and to the insurance and healthcare administration fields. She used her gifts not only professionally but in service to others, often teaching families how to budget. She loved supporting her community and believed that God calls us to share our gifts with others. This was the place where she felt the most joy.

Deborah had a vibrant spirit and a joyful sense of humor. She enjoyed learning to play the bass guitar, making costume jewelry, and challenging crossword puzzles. She was a voracious reader and filled her shelves with books on theology, project management, and mathematics. She found delight in browsing local thrift stores and had a natural talent for discovering beautiful bargains that always seemed to become unexpected treasures. Her happiest moments were those spent worshipping with her church family or spending time with her husband Charles. She was the steady and loving center of her family, the place where everyone felt safe and cared for.

One of her proudest accomplishments was completing her Bachelor’s degree, a goal she reached with determination and grace. Deborah is preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Mae Suggs; her siblings, Barbara Taylor and Iris Suggs; and her granddaughter Claire Nesmith. She leaves to honor her life: her devoted husband, Charles Barfield; her daughters, Robyn Nesmith and Sabrinah Braswell; her cherished grandchildren, Connor and Colson Nesmith. She is also survived by her siblings, her step-children Betty Russell, Charles Barfield, Charles Russell and a host of loving family members and friends who will carry her memory in their hearts.

Deborah’s life was a testament to faith, love and perseverance. Her legacy lives on through the people she uplifted, the children she nurtured, and the family she held together with warmth and devotion. Her memory will remain a gentle light for all who were blessed to know her.