Debra Jane Holmes

   Debra Jane Holmes, age 64, of Litchfield, MN died in her sleep on October 25,
2022 after years of medical issues due to diabetes. Although Deb lived with
healthcare concerns most of her life, her feisty spirit rallied like a cat with nine
lives. Deb ate breakfast, curled up to take a cat nap and went home to God.
   The Holmes family is grateful for the dedicated team of healthcare professionals
who assisted Deb throughout her journey of living with diabetes, receiving dialysis
three times a week and being on oxygen. We want to thank Dr. Brett; the
Litchfield and St. Cloud dialysis nurses; the St. Cloud Hospital ICU staff and
surgeons; the Litchfield Hospital nurses and doctors, especially the ER staff; and
the Mayo Hospital doctors and nurses in Rochester.
   We also want to thank Lincoln Apartments staff; Lakeside staff in Dassel; and
Meeker Manor staff. We deeply appreciate and want to acknowledge the CCT bus
drivers and office staff, particularly the drivers who drove Deb to dialysis. We
want to give a big shout-out to Craig Lundeen, the bus driver extranoire, who is
beloved as a brother.
   Deb was born in Litchfield, MN to Bob and Betty Holmes on December 18, 1957.
She was a blue-eyed, dark haired, sweet little girl nicknamed “Peanut.” Deb was
the middle child amid one brother and three sisters. She was rambunctious,
disciplined and embraced life with an accelerated sense of urgency.
   Her family moved to Etna Green, Indiana in 1962, visiting the Litchfield area
every summer. Deb loved adventures, often heading out on her horse to camp in
the woods for several days with her friends. She made lists every day, crossing out
her childhood tasks as she completed her plans. Deb liked silly contests like racing
from the horse barn to be first to the lunch table.
   Deb loved to play outside and was the first child in the family to need a trip to the
ER for stitches from climbing too high. She and her sister, Kathy, adored dressing
cats in doll clothes, pushing them up and down the sidewalk in strollers. Deb was
home schooled during third grade due to wearing a body cast to encourage hip and
socket growth from Perthes Disease.
   In 1970, Deb’s family returned to Minnesota, living on the hill by the culvert
between Lake Stella and Lake Washington in Darwin. Deb loved water skiing,
excelling at slalom skiing and creating a high spray. Deb played alto saxophone
and participated in marching band, graduating from Litchfield High School in
1976. Deb also studied early childhood education at Rasmussen University in St.
Cloud, MN.
   Deb worked for 3M in Hutchinson and for Littfin in Howard Lake. She thoroughly
enjoyed working with children at Head Start in Litchfield. Deb had a sense of
humor that had kids rolling on the floor in laughter. And, she loved working for
Stockmen's Greenhouse in Litchfield. Deb had a green thumb and gardened at the
Litchfield Community Gardens as well as at home.
   Deb’s pride and joy was her son, Michael. When Mike was in fifth grade, Deb’s
health issues landed her in the St. Cloud ICU with pneumonia. She was in a coma
for several months and made a miraculous recovery because she wanted to finish
rearing Mike. Mike can attest to Deb’s delightful sense of humor. One liners came
out of Deb’s mouth like she had a team of comedy writers working for her. Deb
often did not realize she was funny so she would keep on making her zingers,
causing people to gasp for air in between their laughter.
   Deb’s love for cats truly made her a “cat lady.” She rescued her last cat, Ginger,
when she was a baby kitten. She was happy that her neighbor at Lincoln
Apartments took over caring for Ginger when Deb moved to Meeker Manor.
Deb became a grandma on February 24, 2022 when Mike’s daughter, Lily, was
born. She was excited to have Lily in her life and wore her “First Time Grandma”
shirt often. Lily has Deb’s cheerful feisty personality.
   Deb is celebrated by her living relatives, son Michael (Lauren) and their daughter,
Lily; brother Bob (Ava) Holmes and sisters Judy Holmes, Kathy (Wes) Peters and
Kim Holmes; nieces Phaedra (Mike) Connell and their children, Kinley and
Hatcher; Codi Mogensen and her children, Chloe (Synjn) Zane and their son,
Havoc; and Cordelia Mogensen; Tamara (Brian) Voight and their children, Daniel,
Oliver and Norah; Stephanie (Michael) Vogt and their children, Penelope and
Margot; Katie (Jared) Mason and their son, Dexter; Tonya Peters; and Malinda
(Scott) Jacobson and their children, Rylee, Lexy and Jace. Deb joins her parents,
Bob and Betty Holmes; her grandparents, Gerald and Nellie Holmes; and her
grandmother, Augusta Jahnke, and other relatives in death.
   The funeral service is on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at First
Presbyterian Church of Litchfield. A light lunch will be served after services. No
visitation. In honor of Deb’s love for flowers, memorials may be given to First
Presbyterian Church of Litchfield’s Prayer Garden at 225 North Holcombe Avenue.