Deborah Ebbitt died peacefully October 13, 2026 at the HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence, RI. She was predeceased by her parents, A. Ruth (Silvia) and Bernard J. Ebbitt, and by her brother Bernard E. Ebbitt.
She is survived by her husband, Scott McCarthy, their daughters, Kelsey McCarthy and Ariel McCarthy and her sister Mary Ann Ebbitt.
Debbie was born August 25, 1951 and grew up in Newport, RI. She attended St. Catherine’s Academy from 1966-1968, representing the academy in the RI State Math League and in the RI Journal-Bulletin Science Fair, where she won a Second Grant Award. She then transferred to Rogers High School, graduating in 1970 where she was a member of the Rogers High Girls Gymnastic Club and Team Sport Club. She received a RI Heart Association grant to attend biology seminars at URI and a scholarship to attend the RI Governor’s School for the gifted in the arts as a dance major. Debbie was also elected to the RI Honor Society and Rogers High School Honor Society. She was offered an NLN nursing scholarship to Salve Regina College, an alumni scholarship from URI and a scholarship from Arnold College of Health, University of Bridgeport.
In the fall of 1970 she entered URI, majoring in Health, Physical Education and Recreation. She was a member of the Orchesis modern dance club and served as its president from 1971-1973. She represented URI in the RI Arts in Education Project and the URI Ballet Company. She participated in intercollegiate field hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and fencing. She was a member of URI’s New England Regional Fencing Championship team and participated in the NCAA women’s National Fencing Championships at Trenton State College in 1973. A dean’s list student, she graduated from URI in June of 1974.
She continued her dance education at the Connecticut College American Dance Festival and at local studios. She was a dancer/choreographer with the Newport Players Guild, and choreographer for Salve Regina College Players and the Swanhurst Choral Society.
She returned to URI to pursue a Master of Science Program in 1976 on a part-time basis, graduating in June of 1983. She returned again in 1985 to do post-graduate work in advanced exercise physiology.
From 1974-1978 she was a teacher of Health and Physical Education for the Newport School Department and a part-time instructor at Salve Regina College from 1976 -1981. From 1979 -1984 Debbie was employed as an analyst for various DOD contractors in the areas of database management and weapon performance analysis at NUSC where she met her husband Scott McCarthy and moved to their home in Tiverton.
She attended Bristol Community College from 1985 – 1986 where she studied Zoology as well as Management & Computer Science and became an Emergency Medical Technician. During this time, she accepted a position as an instructor of Physical Education at Diman Regional Vocational High School, leaving in 1986 to raise a family.
In 1990 she entered the Community College of RI Satellite At Newport Hospital Associate Degree Nursing Program. A Phi Theta Kappa Candidate, she graduated cum laude in June of 1994 and received the Associate Degree Nursing Program Faculty Award for excellence in the areas of Nursing Theory and Clinical Nursing. She was employed by Newcare at Newport Hospital and other facilities and eventually returned to Diman Regional Vocational High School where she retired as the school nurse.
She served on the board of the Tiverton Recreation Commission, to which she was appointed in 1992 and was elected Safety / Disabilities Prevention Officer in 1993.
Debbie loved ballet, modern dance, gymnastics and figure skating; interests that she kept throughout her life. She also joined her husband in crosscountry skiing expeditions in Vermont and New Hampshire. At home, her greatest joy was raising her two daughters and Loki, her American Eskimo Dog miniature.
Debbie was a cancer survivor and, sadly, was stricken with Alzheimer’s in her retirement. Nevertheless, wherever life took her, she always considered herself a “Newporter”. She will be greatly missed.
Burial services will be private.
In lieu of flowers it is requested that a donation to one of the following organizations be considered: Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation, and HopeHealth Hospice & Palliative Care.
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