Smart and Compassionate: Deborah Layman is a smart, dog-loving woman who is always there for her family

Who is Deborah Layman? Deb is a devoted wife, a loving sister, a compassionate daughter and a champion for animals. The care she shows for other people is without a doubt a care that not a lot of people show in today’s world, but Deb is one of the few people that truly does.

“Deb goes to see her mom multiple times every week, as well as talking to her on the phone daily,” her husband, Jan, said. “She is also very loyal and a great person. Deb is not only my wife, but my best friend.”

When COVID first started, Deb went from always being there for her mom, to always being there for her mom on another level. From making sure her mom’s house is always stocked with food, to making sure her mom has someone to talk to, Deb makes sure her mom is constantly taken care of.

Deb’s mom has taken a few falls over the years and has had some other complications, and Deb does not want her mom to have to go through it alone.

“She’s very sweet and very caring,” her mom, Linda, said. “She’s taken care of me numerous times, and has really taken care of me during COVID. She does my shopping and helps me out around the house. She was very ambitious even as she was growing up. She mowed the neighbors’ lawns, kept the house clean and has always been very concerned about our family. Deb is very family-oriented.”

Deb is always making sure that her family is taken care of, first and foremost. She is there for them in every situation, and she has always had this caring attitude. Deb makes sure all the people around her are taken care of and have everything they need.

“She is not only my sister, but one of my best friends,” Deb’s sister, Jenny, said. “Deb is compassionate and empathetic, and she’s always been there for me when I needed her. She’s always been there to help me out.”

Deb has two other sisters – Wendy and Glenda – who would echo the same sentiments.

Deb is more than just a sister to the three of them, but a true friend to them as well. She has always been a light to their lives, and she has always helped them out, during the good times and the bad. Deb has been there for her sisters since day one, and she has spent a lifetime being a role model and a mentor to them.

“She has always shown people that if you work hard, you can achieve what you want to achieve,” Jenny said. “Deb is also a dedicated voice of reason. I am more reckless, but she evens me out by saying to maybe not take so many risks and be so crazy. She is also very motherly to me. She is like my second mother and she takes care of me.”

While Deb does not have any human kids of her own, she does take care of the people around her like they are her own kids. Her compassion and empathy run rampant all around her, and she is truly one-of-a-kind.

Deb’s love does not stop at people, either, as she has two fur babies and would do anything and everything for them. She cares for all animals like they are her own, and she is a true champion for animals.

“We have two dogs – a Lhasa apso and a collie – and they are absolutely our kids,” Jan said. “We were on the way to get a different dog, but we found the Lhasa apso, and he could not be more perfect for us. She takes tremendous care of them and is a great mom to our fur babies.”

When Deb is not at home taking care of her dogs, or out on walks with her sister and their dogs, she can be found at the animal shelter, volunteering. Deb cannot get enough of animals, and she takes such great care of them, and she believes that all animals should get the love and attention they deserve. She is involved in several different animal organizations, helping out in any way she can.

Deb also just loves the great outdoors. She is a retired geology teacher, and Jan jokes about how she would be happy with a box of rocks for her birthday. While she would, she would also be happy with just being able to take in the beauty of nature all around her.

“Her and I enjoy walking in the woods,” Linda said. “We’ll just stop and admire the ferns and the woods and be quiet and admire everything around us.”

More than anything, Deb loves her husband and would do anything for him. She sacrificed what was once her dream of becoming a geologist, to become a geology teacher. Jan wanted to stay in the Buffalo area, and there were no jobs in the area they live in, so she gave up her ultimate dream to be with the man of her dreams.

Jan and Deb learned early on that marriage can be about give and take, and they would not be the couple they are today without being able to acknowledge that.

“They are a great couple,” Linda said. “They do enjoy many of the same things, but Jan loves to golf and Debbie doesn’t care for it. She does not object to him playing golf a lot, however, because he loves to play.”

Before anything else, Deb wants to see her husband happy. She knows how much joy and happiness golf brings him, and the fact that she allows him to play so much does not go unnoticed by him either. He could not be more grateful for all the support she gives him.

Jan is constantly in awe of his wife, and the people around them notice the love they share with each other as well.

“They have respect for each other,” Jenny said. “That is a big thing when you are a couple. They are both empathetic toward each other’s needs and have such a great relationship that way. Jan and Deb are in tune to what each other is thinking and feeling.”

Jan cannot imagine what life would be like without Deb in it, and he is constantly working to find ways to be the best husband he can for such a loving wife.

“For one thing, it sounds corny, but intelligence is a very attractive trait,” Jan said. “I will say without a doubt that I am a better person because of her. She is truly my better half.”

From graduating valedictorian to always being a high achiever, Deb’s smarts and her drive and determination stand above everything else. Jan is just happy he gets to see it every day, and he looks forward to continuing to learn and grow with such a wonderful wife.

“She is dearly, dearly loved and appreciated. She has always taken care of me and she’s a great, great daughter who never gave me any trouble at all.” – Linda

“You are the best mom ever. We love you.” – Cooper and Lady

“I highly value our relationship. I’m so lucky and glad to have her in my life. I love her to death” – Jenny

“I want her to know how important she is to myself and her family, and I want her to know how much she is loved. She is truly the love of my life! Happy Birthday, Deb!” – Jan